Strive to Change
by Savy13
Summary: Harry Potter failed to kill the Dark Lord.  Teddy Lupin, 13, has just lost everything. Cornered by Death Eaters, and faced with a fate worse than death, he risks taking a faulty port-key. He couldn't imagine where he ends up, with who, or when.
1. Escape

**First Chapter of a new story. Tell me what you think...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

I grew up in a horrible place. Everything started before my memory did, at the second battle of Hogwarts. It was supposed to be the final battle. The Order of the Phoenix threw everything they had at the Dark Lord, but it wasn't enough. Both he and Harry Potter had lived, but the Order was shattered beyond repair. Three quarters of the people who stayed to fight were slaughtered, my parents, Remus and Nymphadora Lupin, among them. My grandmother died almost two years later. I can't remember any of them.

The war went on in small factions, tiny pockets of rebellion that kindled just as much despair as hope. It followed me where ever I went, since my godfather Harry took me after my grandmother died. He was always distant and busy, with a smile that never reached his eyes and worry-lines that never disappeared. But I knew he loved me. And I loved him. But the constant struggle tore him apart as one by one his remaining friends died, and with each death he added another stone to his neck, another soul on his conscious. He mumbled their names in his sleep.

By the time I was thirteen, only Bill was left of all the Weasley's, and there was Luna Longbottom still. Seamus Finnegan, Kingsley Shaklebolt. Several others whose names I did not know or else quickly forgot. When I was remembered, the others would strive to teach me defensive and offensive spells I could use in case of trouble. I didn't have the opportunity to go to Hogwarts. Officially it is because my father was a werewolf, even though I do not posses the lycanthropy gene. Unofficially it was because my parents were martyrs, and I was raised by Harry Potter.

Since I was unable to get a wand, I used my father's, which Aunt Hermione had thought to save for me. She died only two months ago. I wasn't given details.

We moved constantly, changing headquarters erratically. The longest we stayed in one place was eight months. The shortest we stayed was only for a few days.

But even Harry Potter could not run from the Dark Lord forever.

It was a Tuesday when the Death Eaters fell upon us. We were in one of our safe houses, when the doors and windows were blasted open. Luna was hit by the rubble, down for the count before the fight had even started. The hooded masked figures swarmed inside by the droves, giving us mere seconds to comprehend that we were under an attack. I just managed to see an Inferi Kingsley with them before Harry grabbed me by the back of my shirt and pulled me into the hallway, out of their line of fire. He sent curses over his shoulder at them, and just before he could duck behind the wall with me, three beams of green light hit him. For a moment, I thought one had hit me too as the breath was torn from my chest. He didn't fall in slow motion, or fly backwards. He just crumpled on the spot, like a puppet whose strings had been cut, and lay hunched and broken on the ground.

"NO!" I shouted, dropping down to his side, grabbing his shoulders, and shaking him. "No, Harry! You can't! You can't leave me all alone! You can't leave me here!"

His green eyes were open and empty and unseeing, staring past me. They lifelessly reflected my tear streaked face. I forgot about the danger and the Death Eaters, stopped even thinking about getting away. All that mattered was my only family was on the ground in front of me, dead. My sobs were drowned out by the cheers of our attackers, and I knew I had only moments before they killed me too, or took me somewhere else. I quickly pulled the glasses from his face and stuck them into my pocket before turning around. Two who weren't in the traditional garb were making their way towards me. One was a woman, a cruel beauty with pale skin and black hair streaked with silver. The other was a werewolf. There wasn't anything else he could be.

"Oh, lookie how his hair changes." The woman said in a sadistic glee, watching as it changed to black. "You must be my nieces brat, itty-bitty Potter's godson."

The werewolf laughed.

"Pleasure to meet you son. I was the one who bit your father you know. That makes us almost like kin."

"Greyback." I said. It sounded much more pathetic than I thought it would.

"My reputation proceeds me. I wonder what your daddy would think if I passed his legacy on to you. Would you like that? Would you like to be like your father?" He smiled.

"Don't you dare talk about my father!"

"Spunk!" The woman laughed. I cringed at the awful, unnatural sound. I closed my eyes and discretely reached into Harry's pocket.

"He will make a fine wolf. And if not, a chew toy. Young, sweet boys are always in demand." Greyback agreed.

I shivered at the horrible images that came to my mind at his lewd tone.

"He is responsive too, look at that. Scared, boy? Or excited?" he asked, his grin feral. My fingers curled around the screw I knew would be there. I had seen Harry place it in his pocket after our lesson that day on how to make port-keys. It was a failed attempt on my part, the destination far too broad and the spell cast only half-heartedly. Harry had stopped the lesson there, and told me we would try again later. Now it was my last, and only, resort. Worst case scenario, I died, which was preferable to what this monster had in mind. I was far more worried that it wouldn't work at all, or I would end up splinched in a place where I couldn't find help. I almost lost my nerve thinking about it. I opened my eyes again, and the terrible sight of Greyback reaching towards me steeled my resolve enough for me to say the password, and activate the port-key.

"_Phoenix_."


	2. Interrogation

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

I landed on my back, knocking the wind out of my lungs. I kept my eyes screwed shut as I took a second to register how I felt. My back was sore, but there wasn't pain anywhere else, so I guessed I hadn't splinched myself. But in that very same moment, the back of my neck prickled as I sensed others around me. I could feel eyes, hear the steady quiet that betrayed soft breaths. The next moment I was on my feet again, hand reaching for my wand. Of course, I was no match for the strangers around me. I was happy to see that they were not Death Eaters, but my quick movements hand roused them from their shock, so that every wand in the room pointed at me.

"Bloody hell. It's a kid." one guy said.

"Constant vigilance, Sirius." growled someone who looked more monster than man. "It could be a spy."

I bristled in indignation. I was okay for being thought of as a spy. But a Death Eater? And _it_? I had a gender, even if they didn't know my name.

"I believe some Veratiserum, is called for, Severus." said an older man with blue robes and a white beard down to his knees. It almost looked like... but it couldn't be... He spoke to a man with long black hair, an unpleasant expression, and pale skin that belied the fact that it had ever seen sunlight. Almost immediately he pulled a vial of clear liquid from the black folds of his robes. A quick glance around the room revealed more faces of a familiar description. I would have thought it all a hoax had not I caught sight of Kingsley. He was younger, but it was definitely him, and he was definitely alive. My throat clogged, and everything that had just occurred caught up with me. I couldn't breathe, pictures swam before me, and the ground wouldn't hold still. There was a pain in my side, and it was only then that I realized I had fallen to the floor.

"I'm going to be sick..." I said. Someone conjured a basin, and I emptied the contents of my stomach into it, until there was nothing left. And then the darkness pressing in around my eyes smothered me into complete darkness.

I woke to the dark man, Severus, above me, most likely having just cast an _enervate. _And if the empty vial in his hand was any indication, he had also just given me the truth serum.

"How did you get here?" the old man asked. He sounded kind even during an interrogation. It was creepy.

"A faulty port-key." I said.

"I see. And where was this port-key supposed to take you?"

"My godfather's house. Number 12 Gimmauld Place."

Stunned faces met that response.

"This is my house." said the man named Sirius. "And I am pretty sure I have never met you before."

When they saw I wasn't going to answer on my own, the questions continued once again.

"Who is your godfather?" the old man asked. I bit my lip to fight the potion, but I might as well not have bothered at all.

"Harry James Potter." I said after a fraction of a second.

"He's lying." the monster man with the glass eye said. "Potter has no godson. There would be a record of it."

"He would have told us." a tired, sandy-haired man agreed. My eyes settled on him, and I looked away quickly, refusing to believe what was staring me in the face. It couldn't be true, and I refused to believe it. The names I had learned so far were coincidences, they had to be.

"What is your name?" the old man finally asked. I was wondering why he didn't ask that first, but I supposed he wanted to make sure if there was an immediate threat first, and that others would not be able to follow me in the same way I came.

"My name is Teddy Remus Lupin." I whispered, looking down at the dark paned wood floor. This time the silence was so heavy I felt it drill me into the ground.

"I see." the old man said. It didn't sound like he saw anything at all. I didn't blame him.

"Excuse me?" the sandy-haired man asked.

"Quite extraordinary. My name is Albus Dumbledore." The old man said. "Do you know who I am?"

I nodded, unable to pretend anymore that this wasn't happening.

"I have heard stories." I said softly.

"And who are your parents?" My father- for I knew the sand- haired man was my father- asked. I forced myself to look up at him. His amber eyes pierced me as I stared at his scarred face.

"Remus and Nymphadora Lupin." I answered. He grew very pale and his knees failed to support him. Sirius had to take ahold of him to make sure he didn't fall down, and moved him to a chair.

"What?" the purple haired girl asked. I had avoided looking at her until now, but didn't bother restraining now. She was small, and I wasn't positive this was what she really looked like, since I inherited my metamorphosis gene from her.

"From the future?" Dumbledore asked. I nodded.

"Very interesting. I suppose we will have be very careful not to divulge any information about the future, so as not to change it while we discover a way to send you back to your own time-"

"NO!" I protested quickly. Everybody looked startled.

"Please don't send me back there, please!" I begged. "Believe me, the future is the very thing you should want to change."

"What do you mean?" Severus asked. Unable to restrain myself anymore I burst into sobs again.

"Dead, everyone is dead now, the Dark Lord rules everything. Fire and darkness and cold... People are kissed and killed everyday, corpses and soulless bodies everywhere. It's hell, hell on earth... And I am all that's left!" I cried.

"All that's left?" My mother asked.

"Everyone in this room is dead!" I sobbed.

"What about Harry?" Sirius asked.

I slowly pulled his glasses from my pocket and placed them on the table in the middle of the room. Every eye was upon them, widening in horror as if they were the archangel Gabriel announcing the end of time. With a halting and tear choked voice, I told them everything I knew, every story Harry had ever told me, right up to his death and my frantic escape. When I was done, there was a long stretch of quiet before Dumbledore broke it.

"Severus, do you happen to have a Dreamless Sleep Potion? I dare say our young charge could use it."

"Not on me Headmaster."

"I put some in the medicine cupboard." said a round faced, motherly woman with bright red hair. I knew she had to be Molly Weasley, Bill's mother.

"Fetch it please. Remus, could you perhaps take the boy to your room to rest? And make sure our younger visitors don't see him just yet."

My father nodded and managed to get ahold of himself. He got to his feet and steered me from the room with a hand on my shoulder.

"I have to ask," He said as we went up the creaking stairs to a landing as dark and sinister as the one before it had been. "Are you... Do you have...?"

"Lycanthropy? No. No I don't."

"Thank Merlin." He sighed. He brought me to a room just a little brighter than the rest of the house. Mrs. Weasley came with the potion, which I drowned quickly before getting into the bed and falling immediately asleep.


	3. Introductions

**Thanks to marualee88 and penguincrazy for your reviews. I'm glad you like it and find it somewhat original, I was worried about that. **

**Disclaimer: As much as I wish this was mine... it is not. **

I woke up hoping that everything had been a dream, but already knowing that it wasn't. And sure enough, I was still in my father's room where he had left me. I got up and stretched, making sure my wand was still in my pocket as I did. The door opened then, and I supposed they had a charm on my door to tell them when I woke up. It was the motherly woman whom I had guessed was Bill's mother.

"Hello there, dear. My name is Mrs. Weasley, but you can just call me Molly."

So I was right. Ten points to me.

"If you will come with me, I will show you to the washroom. Everyone else is downstairs, breaking the matter gently to the children. I disapprove, of course, children really shouldn't know some things, but in this case I am afraid it is rather necessary." she sighed. "This is it, here, love." She said, pointing to a door. "Freshen up and then come on downstairs so we can introduce everyone to you proper."

"Thank you." I whispered.

"Not at all dear. Linens are in the cabinet." She said before going back downstairs, dabbing at her eyes.

I walked into the bathroom and took a long shower, attempting to give the Order plenty of time to explain to the younger generation. Then I got dressed again, and restored my hair to its usual blue. I felt like I looked a lot more like myself that way. I turned to face the door, standing there stoically for a moment before taking a breath and opening it, going out into the hallway carefully making my way downstairs. I paused at the open kitchen door, where some of the adults were talking quietly with a group of teenagers. Their buzzing whispering stopped as they saw me.

"There you are, Teddy, dear." Molly said to break the silence. "Come in and have some breakfast." She beckoned me in and motioned to an empty chair. I hesitantly came in and sat down where she bid me, keeping my eyes on the table so I didn't have to meet their stares. She put a plate in front of me, full almost to the point of overflowing.

"Eat up. You are much too thin."

I took a fork and obediently started on the feast.

"Well," said Sirius, clearing his throat. "I suppose we should all introduce ourselves. My name is Sirius Black, your dad's best friend and Harry's godfather."

I nodded. Harry spoke most highly of him, and he had died at the end of Harry's fifth year. I wondered when exactly I had landed.

"Molly and Arthur Weasley, and their children. The twins are Fred and George, the other boy is Ron, and the girl is Ginny. The three eldest are not here at the moment, but you will meet Bill and Charlie later." He said, introducing the red-heads. I brought my head up to look at them. Molly, Arthur, Percy, and Fred had all died in the last battle of Hogwarts. George killed himself out of grief two days later. Ron and Ginny were captured together when I was three, and died being tortured for information. Charlie went out on a raid and had never been found. Bill had most likely died in the final ambush.

"This here is Hermione Granger..."

I looked at young Aunt Hermione and tried not to cry. She was staring intently at me, like she used to do when trying to find out if I was lying to her or not. She had died a death so horrific they wouldn't even tell me what had happened.

"You have met Albus, and the git Severus."

"Sirius-" Dumbledore began.

"Sorry, Professor." Sirius said quickly.

I couldn't help but softly smile at his antics as I thought on the last two. Albus, the wise Headmaster who made too many mistakes, and died with the assistance of his spy. Severus Snape was the whipping boy, a double agent for the light until the end, dying for what he believed in. Harry once said he had to be the bravest man he ever knew. I sent a smile towards him as well, and briefly replaced his scowl with a look of surprise.

"Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody..."

A fearless warrior who died shortly before Harry's seventeenth birthday.

"Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks..."

My eyes looked to them, the heroic couple that died in battle, the two Harry had spoken of with such reverence. I managed a small, watery, half-smile. They stood next to each other, but with a sizable distance between them. Their eyes kept sliding from me to each other and back again. It was almost funny the way they held each other in a tense regard.

"And of course, Mr. Harry Potter."

I turned to look at the boy I had avoided looking at until now. He was only two or three years older than me now, watching me with suspicion. He was so different now. He still looked depressed, but his eyes were not haunted. This boy had not yet faced the worst of the war, and it showed. He opened his mouth to speak for the first time since I came in.

"How do we know you really-"

"Your patronus is a stag." I said, cutting him off. "And my father taught you. Your boggart is a dementor." I could have stopped there, but decided to flaunt my information, to quail any future doubts. I turned to Dumbledore and Snape. "Your greatest regret is Ariana, and yours is the death of your childhood friend. You love her still." They both paled and I turned to Sirius. "You drove a flying motorbike, escaped thanks to a time-turner and a hippogriff, and ran away from home to go to James' house when you were... sixteen or fifteen, I forget which. Oh, and Regulus died betraying Voldemort, although you never knew it." Sirius grew just as white as the others. I turned back to Harry, who was looking back a forth from me and to the expressions of the others.

"I am who I say I am. And if none of that was enough, I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." I finished.

Harry made a face and noise as if he was choking on air. Finally he nodded.

"I believe you."


	4. Prophecy and Lockets

**Thanks again penguincrazy! My thanks also to Flito and MissSadieKane. I am glad you like it, and think the characters are believable. Teddy does share his maturity with his father, and was apparent mostly due to the life he led. But as things become more comfortable Teddy will have a chance to show his Marauder side as well... **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

I sighed, happy that I did not have to fight in order to get Harry to believe me. I knew just how stubborn my godfather could get.

"Yes, well now that the pleasantries are out of the way," Dumbledore said, taking over. "There is the matter of what to do now. I suggest that for now we shall enroll you at Hogwarts. We can do an evaluation of your skills and see just what year you should be in. And then of course, you and I should speak privately-"

"No." I said. Everyone looked surprised that I had cut Dumbledore off mid-sentence. "More than half of what went wrong in the future occurred because Harry did not know what was going on. I will be telling him what he needs to know now."

"He is just a-" Molly began. I held up a hand to silence her.

"I am sorry, Mrs. Weasley, but Harry stopped being a child a long time ago. Trust me, by letting Harry know what I do, I am saving a lot of lives." I told her before turning to my godfather. "The reason Voldemort tried to kill you all those years ago was because he had a spy who heard the beginning of a prophecy." I began. I was sure only Dumbledore and I noticed Severus stiffen slightly in his corner. "This year, he will try to use you to get it for him from the Hall of Prophecy to hear it in it's entirety. I suggest learning Occluemncy. That may help."

"_May_ help?" Harry asked.

"It would save you from a lot of nightmares. It can be useful to see inside the Dark Lord's head, but he was able to manipulate you too well last time. Sirius lost his life when you were tricked into the Department of Mysteries."

Both Harry and his godfather lost the color in their faces. I continued.

"The Dark Lord never gets the Prophecy, but you learn it too late. _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..."_ I recited.

There was a silence as everyone took this in.

"And it means me?" Harry asked finally. Dumbledore spoke up then, explaining how it could have meant either him or Neville Longbottom when it was first made, but now was irrevocably and undisputedly about him now that the Dark Lord had marked him.

"I had planned to tell you when you were older. But I kept putting it off, telling myself that I had time, that you weren't quite yet ready..." He finished. Harry was quiet and looking downward, his face unreadable. I remembered the story of how he had trashed Dumbledore's office, and decided to step in.

"You thought you were doing the right thing. At least this time the knowledge does not come too late." I said. Harry, after a moments pause, nodded in silent agreement. The old mans face visibly relaxed.

"Now, Professor Dumbledore, my information for you." I said. He looked towards me, hands folded, the picture of perfect attentiveness. "The Dark Lord _does_ have horcruxes as you feared." A dark look crossed his face, but he did not interrupt. "The diary was one of course, and- the locket!" I gasped, jumping to my feet. "It's here!"

"Wait, what is a horcurx?" Harry asked.

"Hang on, Harry, we will explain in a bit! Tell me, have you cleaned out that cabinet yet? With the locket that no one could open?" I asked.

"Yeah, just today. What does that have to do with-"

"Sirius! I need to speak with Kreature!" I said, cutting him off. The animagus wore a baffled expression as he called the surly house elf. He appeared before him with a crack.

"Master calls, the treacherous, mudblood lover he is, filling my Mistress' house with slime..." he mumbled. I spoke before Sirius could blow up at him.

"Kreature? I know you have the locket that was cleaned out of here earlier today." I said as gently as I could. Behind me, I could hear Dumbledore softly explaining what a horcrux was to the others. "I know it belonged to Regulus, and he wanted you to destroy it. I want to destroy it too, and I can help you."

"Mudblood child tries to trick Kreature, but Kreature is not believing, no, no, Kreature will not..."

"Please Kreature. I could just have Sirius order you to get it for me, but I know that you took it because you are a good house elf, because you will do anything to help Master Regulus. I promise to destroy it." I begged.

He regarded me for several long seconds, scowling. And then, rather reluctantly, he pulled the locket out from behind the rag he was wearing. I sighed.

"Thank you, Kreature. Regulus would be very happy." I told him, taking the locket gingerly and handing it to the headmaster.

"There. That is the horcrux Regulus Black stole from the Dark Lord. I would stab it with the sword of Gryffindor as soon as possible. The basilisk venom in the blade will be enough to kill it." I told him.

"Well, if that was a horcrux, and the diary was a horcrux, where are the others?" Harry asked, now up to speed on the general idea of what a horcrux was.

"The cup of Helga Hufflepuff, which is in the Lestrange's vault at Gringrotts. The ring at the Gaunt shack, and do _not_ put it on, headmaster, no matter how tempting it is. It's cursed. There is the Diadem of Ravenclaw, in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts-"

"The what?" Ron asked, speaking up for the first time.

"I'll tell you later." I said impatiently. "And the last was Voldemort's snake, Nagini, which we never ended up killing." I finished.

"Well. It seems as if we all have some work to do." Dumbledore said.


	5. Ties that Bind

**Hey guys! I was added to a community! Thanks to MissSadieKane, and to anyone who likes the whole Teddy time-travel idea should check it out. Thanks also to penguincrazy, for your diligent responses! This one is a little bit shorter than normal, but I thought I should catch up with some character relationships. Tell me what you think!**

Dumbledore immediately left number twelve to destroy the horcrux, and Sirius still looked stunned.

"There was a horcrux in my house. I have been _living_ with a piece of Voldemort's _soul_."

Nobody failed to shudder. The idea was nothing short of disturbing. I decided to change the subject by answering some questions of my own.

"Er, this is the summer before your fifth year, right?" I asked the trio. They nodded. "Have you had your trial yet?"

"Tomorrow morning." Harry said, looking predictably nervous.

"Don't worry, they can't hold anything down on you. You are cleared of all charges if I remember correctly."

"See, I told you, Harry." Hermione said happily. "They can't possibly expel you. There is no legal precedence."

I smiled. The same old Aunt Hermione.

"Er, right." Ron agreed, throwing in his support.

"But what if things are different this time?" Harry asked. "Can't events change just because I know about it ahead of time?"

"It is entirely possible." Hermione nodded, thinking. "Terrible things can happen when you mess with time...

"Not helping, Aunt 'Mione." I told her. "As long as you don't do anything rash, and keep your tongue, everything should be fine."

He didn't look convinced, but said nothing.

"Aunt 'Mione?" Ron asked. I felt the blood rush rush to my face and knew from experience that the tips of my hair were turning pink.

"Well, she practically raised me with Harry. They were the closest thing I had to family."

Hermione looked rather pleased.

"And me?" Ron asked. I didn't know how to reply, and my silence was enough for him to guess. "I am dead, aren't I?"

"Everyone is dead now." I said. The three friends exchanged a dark look.

"Can we not talk about that?" Hermione pleaded. I nodded in agreement. I didn't really want to think on the future.

"So... what house are you in?" Harry asked in attempt to change the subject.

"House? Oh. Hogwarts. I don't go to school." I explained.

"What? Why not?"

"Because I am the son of a werewolf. The son of hero's. Raised by Harry Potter. None of those are taken so well when the Dark Lord rules everything."

"Well, how did you learn if you didn't go to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.

"Various members of the Order, but you were the one who mostly taught me." I grinned. "You and Harry were great teachers, but I admit, although I'm great at defense at charms, I am horrible at other subjects like transfiguration, and I've only been able to learn the theory of potions."

"Snape is going to eat you alive." Ron laughed. I groaned, but I was smiling. I was too happy to actually be going to school to really be upset about anything.

"So what is the Room of Requirement?" Harry asked.

"Well, you will have to get Dobby to tell you exactly where it is, but it is a room on the seventh floor that equips itself to the seekers needs."

"Wicked." Ron grinned, thinking of the possibilities.

"I imagine it will be very useful this year." I agreed.

"Why? What happens?" Harry asked.

"Well, we will have one toad of a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

Ron groaned.

"Great."

I just laughed, and caught eye of my father across the room. He had been watching me, unlike the rest of the adults who had gradually dispersed.

"Um, if you will excuse me." I told my young godfather and his friends. They saw where I was looking and waved me off. I smiled at them and walked over to my dad.

"Hello." I said, looking down.

"Shall we go to the drawing room?" he asked me. I nodded, and followed him to the empty room across the hallway.

"You seem like you will become great friends." He said.

"I guess. It is weird, because to me they are family. I feel like I know a lot people already, even you, because Harry talks about everyone so much."

"He does?"

"Of course. You were like family to him too, you know. He always said you were like an uncle to him."

"What?" My father asked, eyes wide. "I thought that was more reserved towards Sirius."

"I suppose he does outwardly act that way. I guess it comes from knowing you as a professor before he knew you as a friend. But he loves you just as much. He just won't say it out loud because he is an angsty teenager. Or at least, that is how he always described himself." I smiled. That caused him to laugh.

"He also said that I get my sense of mischief from my Marauder blood." I continued.

His eyes seemed to brighten. He looked several years younger when he smiled like that.

"Well then perhaps we should cause some mayhem. Sirius has been making one too many jokes as of late." He suggested. "It will be a good time to bond."

Getting to know my dad was going to be awesome.


	6. Love and Pranks

**Penguincrazy, you are awesome for reviewing so much. You make me want to finish these chapters even faster!**

**Blue Luver5000: Mmmm... Weasley Twins on top... **

My father and I hid behind his door, collapsing in silent laughter as Sirius ran through the hallways. His mothers portrait screamed in the background, having been awoken by his shouts.

Harry got off, cleared of all charges earlier that morning, and everyone was in good spirits. Except for Sirius, who was at the receiving end of the Lupin's merrymaking. He was now supporting a head of hair that looked remarkably similar to Snape's, as well running away from several pillows and pincushions charmed to follow him and hit him over the head.

"LUPIN!" he yelled. I couldn't breathe for laughing so hard, and slid down the wall to the floor. "I KNOW YOU ARE AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE!"

I put my fingers to my lips and focused on changing my face to be more round and soft, and my hair to be pink and spiky. A glance in the looking glass told me that I was a fairly close duplicate of my mother. My dad looked rather startled as I pushed passed him into the hallway. Sirius saw me, and didn't look past my face to my robes (or flat chest) which would have been a dead give away.

"Where are they?" he roared.

"Who?" I asked, making my voice as girly as possible.

"Don't mess with me, Nymphadora!"

"Do not call me Nymphadora, Sirius." I growled for authenticity.

"I know you know where they are!"

"Who?" I asked again.

"Moony and your bloody offspring!"

I pretended to look confused.

"I haven't seen them."

He roared in frustration, ducking away from the inanimate objects intent on beating him about the head to continue his search. My father stuck his head out of the door to make sure all was well before coming out.

"That was uncanny. Don't get me wrong, it was a brilliant escape maneuver, but it was just plain odd..."

"I freak a lot of people out. I am great at imitation." I nodded. "But I can't change my height, unfortunately. Or my gender, not that I really envy that power."

"Why do I have the feeling you are going to cause chaos at school?" he said with a groan that did not quite hide his smile.

"Because I wouldn't be your son if I didn't?"

He pushed my shoulder playfully. Everything felt so natural, as if he had been with me forever. Everything was so easy with him.

Harry rounded the corner.

"I take it that you two are responsible for Sirius' current state of being?" he asked, trying not to smile and failing. I gave an exaggerated bow and he laughed out loud.

"Oh, I've never seen him look so flustered..." Harry said.

"A fact I am proud of." My dad declared. Harry smiled again, and seemed to remember why he was here.

"Oh! Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape are here to test you, Teddy." He told me.

The smile slid from my face.

"Oh. Erm, right." I said.

"You will do fine. Do you have your wand?" My father asked. I nodded and pulled it out of my pocket. He did a quick double take.

"Is... Is that mine?" He asked.

"Yes. It always worked better than the others we found." I said, shyly. My father just smiled as Harry led us to the Professors.

McGonagall tested me first, and said I was very advanced in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms, and was normal in Transfiguration for my age. Professor Snape said my understanding of Potions was adequate, and that if I kept what I knew in mind, I shouldn't be far behind in the practical aspect. Harry and Ron told me later that it was the highest amount of praise they had ever heard him give to a non-Slytherin. But I knew that wouldn't last after I had blown up a cauldron or two. I was horrible at History of Magic, only knowing about the more recent wars agains the Dark Lord. I knew nothing about Herbology and Astronomy. They gave me several books on those subjects to help me catch up, and asked that I pick two more for the third year schedule. I went with Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, since I figured those might be of the most use to me.

After several tedious hours, the professors left, and I was able to collapse onto the sofa.

"Rough, kid?" came a voice. I turned to see a purple haired witch in the doorway. "Wotcher, Teddy." She said.

"Hello." I said shyly.

"I heard you did a fair impersonation of me." my mother smiled.

"You did? Is Sirius still on a warpath?" I asked, looking over my shoulder.

"Nah, he called peace once he realized you had duped him. He was so impressed that he stopped trying to kill you."

"Well, that is comforting." I said, rolling my eyes. She started to laugh, and I soon followed her.

"Glad to know my son isn't some goody-two shoes. Got in a lot of trouble myself at Hogwarts."

"You did?" I asked. I knew a lot less about my mom, just because Harry had not known her as well.

"Oh yeah. I had nothing on Remus and the other Marauders, of course, but what is life without a little risk?" she shrugged.

"Very boring." I smiled.

"We do think alike. Do you want to help me pull one over on your dad?"

I nodded enthusiastically.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked.

"I think simplicity is best. There is no need for magic or fancy charms when a prank is already perfectly set up."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that there is no greater punishment in this world than suspense. Our own imaginations can constantly torment us if we let them."

I got where she was going with this.

"So... we go tell him Sirius has planned a prank for him, and let him drive himself crazy trying to figure out what is?"

"That's my boy." She grinned.


	7. Notable Qualities

**Thanks penguincrazy and Blue Luver 5000!**

**WARNING, this chapter has a short glimpse at disturbing adult themes, and one use of f**k. For all intents and purposes, this chapter is rated M.**

Between the pranks and growing closer to my parents, I was studying and preparing myself for Hogwarts. Hermione was a saint as always, helping me with everything I needed so that I wouldn't be too behind. I was impressed with how much I improved with her help in only a few weeks. I now rested easier knowing that I wouldn't be going to school clueless in half my subjects.

When the booklists came on August 31 (absurdly late for Hogwarts letters I was told) I felt fairly confident I would do well, and could not wait for school to start.

"You have GOT to be joking!" came George's voice. At least, I was fairly certain it was George. I poked my head into Ron and Harry's room, where the commotion was coming from. Both the twins and the room's inhabitant's were staring open mouthed at the badge in George's hand. Harry carefully took it from him to take a look for himself. Hermione came in behind me at that point, holding a similar badge.

"Oh, Harry!" She cried before running and throwing herself around said boy. "I knew it! I just knew you would be prefect too!"

"I'm not..." Harry said awkwardly.

"What?" The frizzy haired girl asked.

"It's mine." Ron said. "I got it, not Harry."

"Wha- Really? I thought- Oh but Ron, that is wonderful!" she finished lamely, blushing. At that moment, Molly bustled in.

"Oh good, you have gotten your letters too. If you will just hand them to me, I am going to Diagon today. It would just be too much to take everyone, I imagine all of Hogwarts will be there today. Really, I don't know _what_ they were thinking, sending out those letters so late. It was a good thing you went to get your wand last week, Teddy."

I fingered my new wand at the mention of it. It was a necessity, since the wand I was using was registered to an alive and well person in this time. I had been allowed to try it out under the supervision of the Professors, and I had been surprised at how much better it had worked for me, how much more powerful my magic was. Not only that, but I was quite proud at its uniqueness. While Ollivander normally stuck to cores that came from phoenix's, dragons, and unicorns, my wand was made from dogwood, and contained the feather of an Augrey.

"And Ron, you will need some new pajamas, yours are nearly six inches too short! My how you all have grown..."

"You should get him red and gold ones to match his new badge." George said.

"Match his what?" Molly said absently as she placed some socks in the boys trunks.

"His shiny new _prefect_ badge." Fred explained contemptuously. Molly stopped as she looked at the badge that Ron had finally retrieved from Harry's grasp. Then she let out a happy shriek that made me want to cover my ears.

"I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!"

"Oi! What are we? Next-door neighbors?" Fred asked, motioning to himself and his brother. I winced on the twins behalf, as Molly didn't seem to hear him and went on about getting Ron something special. I left then, not wanting to listen anymore. Harry looked sulky, the twins disgusted, Molly doting, Hermione embarrassed, and Ron stunned. It was drama just waiting to happen. I much preferred to avoid that if at all possible. I instead went downstairs, where I very literally ran into Severus Snape.

"Er, excuse me, Professor." I said.

"Extraordinary. It amazes me that grace can be a hereditary trait. Or lack thereof. Are you always as clumsy as your mother?" He asked with a sneer.

"I am not nearly that talented." I smiled. "But I always seem to be compared to her whenever I am clumsy."

"It is one of her most notable qualities."

I shook my head in disagreement.

"No, it is just one of her most noticeable qualities." I corrected.

"There is a difference?" He asked. I knew that he was clever enough to know the difference for himself, he was merely playing devil's advocate in hope to have a stimulating conversation. I imagine it must be difficult when everybody distrusts you.

"Well, your most noticeable quality is being a snarky git." I smiled. Then I quickly continued before he could get angry, "But your most notable qualities are your loyalty and love and bravery."

"Bravery is for Griffyndors." he said from behind his indifferent mask.

"What is it with this time and houses? Isn't bravery a good thing? Aren't cunning, intelligence, and loyalty good things? The houses separate an alienate everyone, turning people against each other and making them despise perfectly good qualities." I grumbled. The dark Professor raised one eyebrow.

"Are you positive you are thirteen?" he asked.

"I am fairly certain. But you grow up quickly when you are a fugitive." I said with some black humor.

"Quite," He said. "I must be returning to Hogwarts, Mr. Lupin. I shall see you at the opening feast tomorrow."

He turned to leave, and I likewise made my way to the kitchen.

"Professor?" I said before we had completely departed. He paused to look back at me. "I believe Lily would be proud of what you have done." I told him, before leaving the stunned potions master behind.

Later that afternoon, Mrs. Weasley had a party entirely for Ron and Hermione, complete with a banner. Harry looked rather down about it, but seemed to be a bit happier when my father told him James had never been a prefect either. My mother also helped, joking about lacking 'necessary qualities' to ever gain the badge, such as behaving herself.

"In the long run, being a prefect is very trivial." I told him. He seemed to realize what I was getting at as he remembered what I told him about my future. School titles seemed meaningless when put into perspective.

Harry and I soon after got caught up in Mad-Eye's show of the original Order of the Phoenix. I could tell by the way Harry paled when he saw his parents that he hadn't really been ready.

"How fared the Order in your day?" Mad-Eye asked me curiously.

"A lot less organized than it is now, and a lot smaller, with more interchangeable members." I said. "And it wasn't called the Order."

"Eh? What was it then?" Moody asked, and even Harry looked curious.

"The D.A." I replied. "Dumbledore's Army."

Further questions were cut off by Sirius' interest in Mad-Eye's picture, and my godfather and I were able to sneak away.

As we went upstairs, we were startled by Mrs. Weasley's scream. Without hesitation, Harry and I followed the sound into the drawing room to find Molly with her wand drawn and Ron laying bloodied on the ground, very clearly dead. But we had just left Ron downstairs...

CRACK! The body changed into dead twins, CRACK! A dead Arthur, CRACK! A dead Bill, CRACK! A dead Ginny... I did the only thing I could think of. I pushed Mrs. Weasley out of the way. CRACK! There was an older, dead Harry on the ground, and two menacing figures smiling at me.

"Did you think you could get away?" The deranged woman asked. "Did you think you could change things?"

"You can't escape this. It is your fate. You are going to come back to pack with me." The werewolf said. "You won't deprive us of the privilege of fucking you raw..."

I flinched, and couldn't help the whimper that escaped me.

"_Riddickulus!_" Came my father's voice. I hadn't heard him come in. He looked furious as the boggart disappeared with a final crack.

"What was that?" Harry rasped. "Who were they?"

"That was Bellatrix Lestrange and Fenrir Greyback." My father spat. "He was the werewolf that bit me when I was a child. Did he actually say that to you?" he asked me.

"H-he implied it... The boggart was much more... crude..." I explained.

"Why was I there?" Harry asked, unable to bring himself to say 'dead'.

"It was reliving my last moments in my time." I said softly.

Everyone in the room fell quiet, only broken by Molly's continuous sobs.


	8. FIrst Sight

**Thank you Blue Luver5000 and MissSadieKane! I try to keep it as close to the book as possible with my own twists. It is quite a feat considering I do not have a copy of the book with me. Luna and Neville ahead!**

**Disclaimer: I really want to, but I do not own Harry Potter. **

I was quite happy to leave the dark house the next day, and despite the moroseness of the night before, I was positively ecstatic to being going to Hogwarts and was having trouble restraining myself from bouncing around like an eleven year old. Only Sirius matched my exuberance, happy to be out of Gimmauld at last. He ran about, barking joyfully, growling at cats, and overall acting like a type of dog that would make most owners tear their hair out. Indeed, Molly seemed to be close to doing so, and Mad-eye kept twitching as if he wanted to hex the animagus. But I enjoyed watching him, as did Harry and my father. It made the twenty minute walk go by more quickly.

"Do you remember your story?" My father asked me as we first entered King's Cross. I was almost buzzing with excitement now, so I didn't really feel bothered that this was the twelfth time he had asked me this morning.

"I am your son who was living with my mother, Mary Davis, who recently died. You were never married and I was home schooled most of my life." I recited.

"Good." he said, attempting to quell his nervousness.

"Relax dad. I'll be fine." I told him. He managed a smile and threw his arms around my shoulders in a one armed hug as we came up to Platform 9&3/4. We had an insanely large group, so it took time and a fair bit of acting to pull off the nonchalant transition. There must have been some heavy notice-me-not spells on the entrance way to not cause ample suspicion each year. I walked through the brick wall with my father and Sirius to find a crowd of people, our party among them, walking along the platform before the scarlet engine that proudly sat on the tracks. White steam was pouring from its mouth, and made everything a little harder to see.

My father hugged me one last time.

"You best be going now. I'll see you for Christmas, and er, be good." he said, only faltering slightly. I thought he was doing great at the whole 'dad' thing to be honest, especially considering I was his teenage son he didn't know he had and quite literally dropped out of nowhere.

"I will." I smiled. "Bye dad."

He waved as I walked off with the Trio, Harry brushing Sirius' dog hair off his shirt from when he decided to jump up on the boy.

"Shall we get a compartment?" Harry asked once we were on the train and the twins had departed. Ron and Hermione looked uncomfortable.

"Actually, Harry, Ron and I have to go to the prefects cabin first. For a meeting, you know." Hermione said softly.

"Oh. Right. Well, you go on then, I guess." Harry said.

"We really are sorry, mate." Ron apologized.

"No, it's fine. I totally get it." Harry said again.

"We'll just get a compartment and you guys can meet us there later." I suggested. The two new prefects nodded before reluctantly taking their leave.

"Poor sods. Stuck in a meeting." I said to Harry as I got used to the train's starting momentum.

"Harry! Hey, Harry!" Called a voice. We both turned to see a round faced boy carrying a strange, bulbous, and pulsating plant in one hand, and fumbling with a toad in the other.

"Hi Neville." Harry said back.

"Who is your friend?" he asked, looking towards me.

"I'll introduce you later, lets find somewhere to sit first."

He nodded and joined us and Ginny in a search for a compartment. Finally, we reached one that had only one occupant, a rather familiar face. I tried not to gasp as I saw a young Luna Longbottom- or Lovegood as I supposed she would be here- sitting reading the Quibbler upside down with her wand stuck behind her ear and a necklace of butterbeer corks.

"It's just Loony in here." Ginny said. "Lets ask if we can sit with her."

"Er..." Harry murmured. I elbowed him and nodded quickly. Ginny poked her head inside, asking Luna if we could join her. When the girl nodded in the affirmative, we filed in and sat down.

"Everyone, this is Luna Lovegood, a Ravenclaw in my year." Ginny introduced. "Luna, this is Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, and Teddy Lupin."

It was funny to see Neville blush slightly when he looked at what I knew to be his future wife, but he quickly towards me when my name was mentioned.

"Lupin? Like the Professor Lupin?"

"He's my dad." I nodded, and then explained the story I had rehearsed.

"Well, if you are half as good as your father was, you will do just fine. He was the greatest defense teacher we ever had, along with Professor Moody. But I don't suppose he counts since he was a Death Eater in disguise..." Neville said.

"Thanks," I smiled. There was a short and awkward silence before Harry broke it.

"What is that, Neville?" He asked pointing at the plant. The boy beamed with pride.

"Oh! This is a Mimbulus mimbletonia." He said. "My Uncle Algie got it for me! And look at what it can do..."

He thrust his toad into Harry's hands and procured a quill from his pocket. Tongue between his teeth in concentration, he poked at one of the bulbs. WIth a sickening squelch, the plant erupted a foul smelling, green liquid with the texture of mucus onto Harry and I.

"Yuck!" I exclaimed. "Plant vomit!"

"Er, Stinksap." Neville said bashfully. "Sorry about that..."

"Oh..." Came a voice at the door. Every one looked to see a very pretty asian girl looking at my godfather with wide eyes. "Um... Hi Harry."

"Hullo Cho..." He mumbled. I was sure he was growing red underneath the stinksap. I bit back a snicker. I was sure he wanted the train floor to eat him alive right now. He wasn't in the most impressive of circumstances.

"I guess I will just see you later..." She said, quickly leaving. I burst out into laughter the moment she was gone.

"Shut up, Teddy." He growled as Ginny cast a quick scourgify on the both of us.

"Thanks, Gin." I told her.

"No problem."

"Your hair is turning yellow." Luna said in her lyrical voice.

"Yeah, it will do that sometimes. I'm a metamorphagus." I explained. Neville's mouth dropped.

"Did you make it blue to ward off the Quimquads?" Luna asked thoughtfully.

"Nah, I just think it looks cool. But if it ward off Quimquads, that is just a bonus."

Luna smiled brightly and nodded. Since I had grown up with her, I had the fantastic ability to tell when Luna was joking or not. She knew that her innovative ideas and knowledge on obscure creatures sounded crazy to most people, so she amused herself by making up silly fake animals and hiding her amazing insight behind funny and wild theories. It wasn't often when she met someone who could understand her sense of humor and quirks. She and I started an immediate faux debate on the effects of color on Quimquads, the others looking on in awe and confusion.

An hour later, Ron and Hermione joined us.

"Ugh! It was awful, mate!" Ron said as collapsed into the seat across from Harry. "All rules and schedules! I don't know if I can do this!"

"Honestly, Ronald, it was not that bad."Hermione huffed. The two new additions were introduced to Luna, whom Hermione eyed skeptically. I remembered how Aunt 'Mione never understood Luna in the future and grinned. This was going to be fun...

"What are you reading Luna?" She finally asked.

"The Quibbler."

"That rubbish? Everyone knows it is just a bunch of nonsense."

"My father is the editor." Luna said coldly. Hermione was stricken with embarrassment, and I took the opportunity to speak up.

"It isn't rubbish at all!"

Embarrassment forgotten, Hermione glared at me.

"Teddy, I thought you smarter than this. I mean..." Hermione looked at the quips on the cover. "Fudge eating Goblin Pies? _Sirius Black_ the innocent Stubby Boardman? You know that isn't true."

I rolled my eyes.

"Hermione, those are _satirical_." I explained. "They don't really think Fudge eats Goblins, or Black is a singing sensation. They are making fun of the Ministry's incompetence."

She looked abashed again, and her embarrassment returned. It was several seconds before she could speak again.

"Oh..." She finally said.

"It is alright. I could tell the Wrackspurts got you." Luna said sympathetically. Hermione didn't want to discredit Luna any more and make a further fool of herself, so just tentatively asked,

"Um, what are wrackspurts?"

"Extremely hard to see creatures that go in your ears and make your brain go fuzzy." Luna explained. Hermione looked dubious. I decided to take matters into my own hands and bent over to her, blowing hard in her ear. Hermione squealed at the unexpected action.

"Teddy! What was that for?" She asked. I didn't answer her and trained my wand on what seemed to be a speck of dust that I had dislodged from her ear.

Engorgio." I said, and it grew to the size of a muggle quarter. The creature was now large enough to be visible, and everyone stared at it with open mouths, except for Luna, who looked ecstatic. It looked rather like a pygmy puff with translucent fur that shimmered. The only other features you could see were two black eyes, two minuscule curled paws, and a pair of fluttering opalescent wings. I caught it and handed it to Luna. The happiness on her face was of a degree I had never seen in the future.

"Oh, thank you Teddy! He is just perfect! I am going to name him Hubert.


	9. Solidarity

**Yay for JoshRand1982 for reviewing, adding me to their favorites, AND story alert! As for Sakur, you bring up a good point and I haven't explained it yet since nobody in the story really knows **_**what**_** will occur. I tried to find a way to explain it, but Keep Calm n' Carry On explained it much better than my own flimsy attempt. They said that it is highly improbable that Teddy would be conceived again, due do the odds of the exact sperm being fertilized at the same time, especially now that Remus and Tonks know that they are going to get together ahead of time. So Teddy will not be born again, but nor will it have any affect on his existence. **

**Thanks also to Blue Luver5000 again (you are so awesome), Miss SadieKane, and Duchess E.V. Watson. I am glad you liked my take on Luna, the Quibbler, and Wrackspurts. **

**Disclaimer: Yeah... you know...**

Luna plucked a string from her shirt and politely asked a dumbstruck Hermioneto transfigure it into a leash for her. Soon, Hubert was flitting around Luna's head, tied to her wrist. Ron and Harry exchanged a mirthful look, pleased at seeing Hermione look so mollified. Then Ron jumped as he remembered something.

"Oh! Guess who the Slytherin prefect is?"

"Malfoy." Harry said.

"Yup. That git."

"You know he is going to abuse that power." Hermione frowned. "I saw him telling off first years in the corridor."

"Yeah. But at least we can return the favor. I'd love to give Goyle lines, it will kill him, he hates writing." He said happily. He made a caveman face that was supposed to look like Goyle and grasped an invisible quill, pretending to write. "I... must... not... look... like a baboons... backside..."

The entire compartment laughed, and Luna continued to for long after everyone had stopped.

"Baboons... Backside!" She gasped.

"Er, yeah." Ron said, uncomfortable. I just laughed again, amused by seeing her laugh so hard. After the cabin died down, Hermione flicked her hair.

"But honestly Ronald, we can't give out detentions for no reason."

"Are you taking the mickey?" Ron asked her.

"Come on, we should change. We will be there soon." Harry said to defuse the situation. That renewed my excitement and I was bouncing around again by the time the Express pulled into the Hogsmeade Station.

"Calm down." Harry smiled, fondly, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"I can't help it, I'm too anxious!" I smiled. But Harry was too busy looking at the carriages, and came to a dead stop. His hand on my shoulder stopped me as well and I almost fell over.

"What is that?" Harry gasped.

"What is what?" Ron asked.

"Pulling the carriages."

"Nothing is pulling the carriages, Harry. They are pulling themselves, as always." Hermione said.

"I see them too." I said, walking up and petting its bony flank. Harry pulled me back frantically.

"Don't touch it!" Harry said.

"They wouldn't let them pull the students if they were dangerous." I pointed out.

"Yeah, but Hagrid has a funny definition of safe."

"They aren't dangerous." said Luna. "They are Thestrals. You can only see them if you have seen death, so most people avoid them, thinking they are bad omens."

Harry relaxed slightly, and Hermione looked a bit put out by being shown up by a thirteen year old and the crazy Ravenclaw.

We piled into the carriages and were taken up to the castle, which I gasped when I saw. It was beautiful, and no matter how many times it was described to me, I never imagined something as wonderful as what was before me now. I was almost sad when we grew too close for me to observe it anymore. But soon we were being jostled inside and I was able to look around in awe again. Suits of armor, moving pictures everywhere, and just the sheer size of the halls were stunning. I was jerked out of my stupor by a cold voice.

"Well, well, look who made it to school this year." I looked and saw a pale guy with blue eyes and white blond hair sneering at Harry. He was flanked by two flunkies that could have fit in well with gorillas. Perhaps they were part ogre. "Squirm out of another punishment Potter?"

"None of your business, Malfoy." He growled. So this was the infamous Draco Malfoy.

"Personally, I think you should be on your way to Azkaban, but celebrities have special treatment, don't they?"

"Come on Harry, lets go." I said pulling on his robe sleeve. The Slytherin Prince's eyes fell on me.

"Who are you? Not a first year obviously, but I'm sure I would have seen you before with hair like that." He asked.

"I'm a transfer." I said simply.

"What is your name?"

"None of your business."

"Watch that tone. I am a prefect and can take away points."

"I don't have a house yet, idiot."

He flushed and snarled.

"But I can still take them from your friends. Ten points from Potter because I don't like him, and another ten points for being friends with a little shit like you. Oh, And you are a Mudblood, Granger, so that's another ten points..."

Harry and Hermione restrained Ron from jumping on him while I didn't even flinch. I wasn't about to point out that term hadn't started, so his point deduction did absolutely nothing. Malfoy scowled at my impassivity, but it was gone in a flash as he laughed at Ron before he left with his goons. Hermione and Harry let go of their friend and made him calm down. Hermione had realized the same thing I did, and explained that there could be no deduction of points. It calmed him slightly, but he still glowered and muttered curses under his breath. We walked toward the Great Hall, only for Professor McGonagall to stop me by touching me on the shoulder.

"This way Mister Lupin. You will be sorted when the first years come in."

I nodded and followed her out of the way, and was forced to listen to the speech the Professor gave to the elven year olds. Then she took us inside, and I looked around with as much awe as the kids around me. The enchanted ceiling was beautifully lit with a thousand stars, candles floated in mid-air and provided a soft glow over everyone. McGonagall took her place up by the Sorting Hat and it began to sing, praising unity and advocating solidarity. When it was done there was applause, and McGonagall began to call off names in alphabetical order. By the time she reached the M's I realized they were saving me for last. I gave a huff of irritation and waited until the last of the first years were sorted. Only then did Dumbledore stand up.

"This year at Hogwarts, we have a transfer student, something we have not had in a very long time. Our new student was home schooled until circumstances sent him to live with his father, who enrolled him here."

I couldn't help but smile. Only Dumbledore could tell the complete truth while lying at the same time.

"I trust you will do your best to help him and make him feel at home at Hogwarts." He finished, sitting back down.

"Lupin, Theodore." McGonagall called. Whispers broke out, no doubt due to my name as they remembered my father and tried to figure out if we were related. I just stepped up and sat on the stool, and the hat was placed over my head.

**Cliffhanger! I'm sorry, I just really wanted to see what house you guys thought he should be in, I am stuck between two. Let me know what you think**


	10. Starting

**Most of you voted for the same house I was leaning for, so I am glad my writing skills are not completely shot. ^-^ Sorry it took so long to update, I have been really busy. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, Remus and Severus would not have died.**

_"Lupin, Theodore." McGonagall called. Whispers broke out, no doubt due to my name as they remembered my father and tried to figure out if we were related. I just stepped up and sat on the stool, and the hat was placed over my head. _

I took a deep breath and held it as a voice sounded in my ear.

_"Well. A half-werewolf. A metamorphagus. A time-traveler. Any one of those would be astounding, and yet you are all three..."_

I felt my face getting hot. It wasn't everyday you got flattered by a hat.

_"Thank you." _I thought.

_"And well mannered too. What a treat indeed. Now, where to put you. Smart, yes, but no Ravenclaw. Loyal far surpassing any Hufflepuff, with a plan whose ambition shadows any Slytherin, and the Griffyndor bravery of one far past your age. But Slytherin would not help you in your purpose here. I cannot place you there without hindering you efforts. Your mother was a Hufflepuff... but no. _GRIFFYNDOR!" The hat finally shouted. Cheers erupted from the Lion's. Not only were the Weasley's, Trio, and Neville there to give their support, but the rest of the house was glad they got the relative of their old teacher as well. I smiled as the hat was taken off my head, and decided to show a little Griffyndor pride, as well as get my ability out in the open. I changed my hair from blue to a swirling mass of red and gold. There was a rippling gasp that I ignored as I happily say beside my godfather. Harry and Ron proudly pounded me on the back as Dumbledore stood up and commanded for quiet. Everyone was surprised when the toad Umbridge interrupted him for her own speech, informing everyone of the Ministry's interference that year.

"Right old cow." I snarled when she sat down.

"What on Earth did that mean?" Ron asked. Hermione explained to him as Teddy tucked into the food.

"Is she really as bad as she seems?" Harry asked me.

"Worse. You have scars from that old hag. Don't cross her Harry, I mean it." i warned him, knowing perfectly well that my words would be ignored. He was too hot tempered to listen to her call him a liar and not speak up. "And Crookshanks would probably be a better teacher, but you take care of that in the end."

"What?"

"You start the D.A. this year in retaliation to her poor teaching skills."

"I start... but I thought you said that was what the Order was called in your time!" He said.

"I did. You started it. Of course, it was 'Mione's idea, but you were the one who taught everybody. Remember the Room of Requirement I told you about? That is what you use it for this year."

"I... Wha- no!" Harry protested. "I can't teach anyone!"

I just shrugged. We would see what happened in the end.

After the feast I was shown to the Griffyndor tower and the third year dorms. I met the third year boys whom I would be sharing with, Dennis Creevy, Nigel Barker, and Danny Miller. They were very impressed with my metamorph abilities, but were polite enough not to exploit them, and asked how I knew Harry and if I was related to their old professor. I answered all of their questions, and they seemed nice.

"Just don't let my older brother Colin know how close you are with Harry." Dennis groaned. "I love my brother, but he idolizes him too much."

"Thanks for the tip." I smiled.

We stayed up, and I got to know them as well. Dennis had an artistic flair. While his brother captured everything he could with a camera, Dennis captured the same things on paper. He sketched his friends, the grounds, the teachers, anything that he could, and filled up several notebooks with drawings. He enchanted several to move, but he told me that he was just getting the hang of it.

Nigel was a determined student, although not nearly so much as Hermione. He confided that his parents were muggleborn, and in order to keep going to Hogwarts, he had to ensure them that he was learning all that he could.

"I don't want to go back now." he said. "The muggle world is great and all, but magic... it has become who I am, you know?"

As for Danny, he was rambunctious and full of energy, just ready to make people laugh. He reminded me of what Sirius must have been like at his age. The four of us became friends, the first real friends I had ever had. In the meantime, I was able to work on school and get better on the subjects I was lacking. Except History of Magic. I fell asleep in that class every time without fail.

Harry, of course, was unable to hold his tongue during Defense Against the Dark Arts, and landed himself in detention as I knew he would. I waited up for him that night, and had bandages ready for his return.

"You could have told me." Harry hissed when I helped him wrap up his hand.

"I did. I told you that woman left you with scars." I reminded him.

"A bit of specificity wouldn't have hurt."

I 'accidentally' tied the linen tighter than necessary and he yelped.

"Whoops. My bad." I said. He glowered at me, but his anger was interrupted by Ron coming inside, trying ineffectively to hide his broomstick behind his back. After a bit of prying from Harry, he admitted to have just come from Quidditch tryouts.

"Really? That's great!" Harry said.

"You think so? You're not mad?"

"Of course not! It is brilliant mate."

Ron seemed to exhale.

"That is so cool." I agreed. "I've never seen a game of Quidditch before."

They both looked at me like I had spontaneously grown another head before Harry clapped me on the back.

"It is brilliant. You'll love it." I made him explain to me all the rules, and Ron took over afterwards, explaining moves and teams and statistics. I didn't really follow that part of the conversation, but I listened intently anyway. It made him happy to talk about it, and it made me feel normal just to listen.

The conversation paused when a tapping on the window drew our attention away. We looked to see Hedwig flying with a note on her leg. Harry took it from her with thanks and a treat, and read it aloud.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_ I sincerely hope that you, Miss Granger and Misters Weasley and Lupin will join me this afternoon in my office. I do enjoy sugar quills._

_ Professor Dumbledore_

"I wonder if it is about..." I trailed off, not wanting to say horcruxes aloud. "And what does he mean by liking sugar quills?"

"That will be his password." Harry explained. "And I dunno. I guess we will just have to wait for tonight to find out."


	11. Bad News

** Some people have pointed out that Dennis would not be a third year. All I can say is oops, and I will be taking some liberty by changing his age. Hope it doesn't bother too many people. I was also rereading my stuff and found some positively atrocious spelling and grammar mistakes as well as inexplicably slipping into the third person. I apologize for that, and will try to fix those as soon as possible. Thanks to everybody for being good sports and not really mentioning that...**

** I also have to apologize for how late this chapter is. I have no excuse except for getting distracted by other stories. Please don't hurt me. **

** Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling is not my name. **

Hermione, Ron, Harry, and I walked to the Headmaster's office, which was behind a large statue of an eagle.

"Sugar Quills." Hermione said to it. The statue began to twist upwards, stairs trailing after it. We all hopped on and rode it until we reached the door, which Harry knocked.

"Come in." came Dumbledore's voice. All four of us stepped inside, and I looked around at the portraits who were pretending to doze and the whirring silver contraptions that dotted the room. But my eyes were drawn to the Headmaster's desk. The sword of Griffyndor lay across it lengthwise, and in front of it was four former horcuxes. The diary, the ring, the diadem, and the locket. They were all blackened and pierced by the blade or basilisk fang. I repressed a shiver looking at them.

"I am glad you are here." the old man said. "As you can see, I have recovered and destroyed these four of Voldemort's horcruxes. I doubt we will be able to get to the snake until the last possible moment."

"And the cup?" I asked. His eyes twinkled.

"Yes, that is why I asked you here, in particular, Mr. Lupin. You see, the cup resides in the vault of your great Aunt. Since she is unaware that you are alive, she has not yet discredited you as family."

"I don't understand."

"Since both of the Lestrange's are in Azkaban, you could in theory act responsible for their assets."

"But that would never hold up. Bellatrix and Rudolphous are bound to have family members with a better claim to the money than me. Like the Malfoy's for example."

"You misunderstand me. Family or not, you would not be allowed to take anything from that vault."

"Then what-"

He held up a hand to stop me.

"By claiming yourself as family, you are entitled to visit the vault and check that all is in order. You would not be allowed to remove anything, but you would be theoretically able to destroy something."

"Theoretically." I parroted. There was a lot that could go wrong, but even I had to admit that it was the best we had. "Have you told my parents?"

"I did. They were... less than enthusiastic, but eventually had to agree. Neither of them, or anyone else for that matter, would be let a mile within the Lestrange vault."

"Well, I suppose it is worth a shot." I agreed.

"Wonderful." Dumbledore agreed. "Now on to other business. Harry, do you think you could teach someone exactly what to say to get into the Chamber of Secrets?"

Harry looked taken aback.

"Er, yes sir."

"Good. I am afraid we are in the need of a basilisk fang. Taking a goblin made sword into Gringrotts is not the best of ideas." He waved someone forward from behind him, and all of us jumped as Severus Snape emerged from the shadows. How did he _do_ that?

"What are we here for sir?" Hermione asked. Dumbledore's face grew somber.

"I have a hunch that there was one more horcrux that Tom made. One that he never even knew about. I have a feeling that this horcrux was the deciding factor in why Teddy's future turned out the way that it did. As much as I wish that I was wrong, and would prefer to keep this to myself, I cannot in good conscious."

Well he was learning from his mistakes at least. Keeping knowledge to himself had never done anyone much good. But what horcrux would be so horrible that he was loath to say it? Hermione gasped as she figured it out, and Harry looked up from where he was staring at his knees.

"It's me, isn't it?" he asked. "That's why I can see inside his mind, and speak Parseltonuge."

Dumbledore gave him a somber nod.

"NO!" I shouted, jumping to my feet. "No! I just got him back! You can't take him from me again you bastard!" I stepped toward the headmaster and grasped him by his robes. I felt myself being being pulled away by Professor Snape to keep me from strangling him.

"Calm down,Teddy. It's okay." Harry said.

"NO IT IS BLOODY WELL NOT OKAY!" I shouted. Ron was speechless, and Hermione was softly crying.

"You knew about this, didn't you? You knew ever since that Halloween." Snape said from where he held me. "You had me protect him, and you were raising him for slaughter!"

I was sure his fingers were leaving bruises on my arms as his grip tightened in his anger, but it didn't really matter.

"Never knew you cared, Professor." Harry said dryly.

"I don't. I still think you are an arrogant little whelp like your father, but the fact remains that I-" he faltered for just a second. "Your mother was, and always will be my best friend. I have never wanted you dead. She died so you could live, not be sent to your grave."

"But it doesn't make sense!" Hermione exclaimed. "The prophecy said that neither can live while the other survives, and _either_ must die at the hand of the other!"

"Well Harry didn't die at the Dark Lord's hand in my time." I spat. "So there is obviously some leeway."

"I will do what I have to." Harry said softly. He cut me off when I went to protest. "I don't want the future to be like the one you came from."

I pulled myself from the Potions Master's grip. I would not let myself cry in front of people. So I ran straight out of the room, and did not stop running until my legs gave out. My tears fell from my cheeks in waves, and sobs tore from my throat. I put my hand into my robe pocket and closed it around Harry's glasses, which had not left my person since I had gotten here. They had served my purpose in reminding me what I was here to change. And now I had to face the fact that I couldn't stop my godfather's death. Some hair fell in font of my eyes. It was black, as I knew it would be. Not twenty minutes later, Harry found me. Stupid map. He sat beside me.

"Teddy..." He tried.

"Don't." I pleaded. I felt stupid. I was a teenager, we both were. I couldn't be crying over him like I did when I was little. He saw his glasses in my hand.

"I thought I could save you." I whispered.

"You are a good kid. I know it is strange to be in this situation, how all of a sudden your guardian is your age and hardly knows you anymore. But you are apart of my family, no matter how small and unconventional it may be." He assured me. I couldn't hold back the sobs as he put his arm around me


	12. Enter Stranger

The weekend after my breakdown, I found myself walking into Gringrotts, Headmaster Dumbledore by my side. I kept my head down, unable to look at him yet. I knew that it was hardly his fault, but I couldn't help but feel slightly hostel towards him.

"Are you ready?" He asked. His voice was soft and quiet, meant to keep me calm. I nodded wordlessly, finally looking up. I made my face much more different than usual. I was paler, with short, thick black hair, blue eyes like Sirius', and a nose similar to Malfoy's. I looked like I would fit into the Black family perfectly. I knew this because Professor Snape had been with the Headmaster when I came up. He got to his feet quickly, his eyes wide. He explained a short while later.

"You look like Regulus Black. Not an exact match, but you could pass as his son if you wanted to."

I had based my look off of an aged, watermarked picture I found in Grimmauld Place, and I supposed that must have been him. I had not realized that it was Regulus at the time.

But it didn't really matter who I looked like if my blood was too diluted to gain us entry into the Lestrange vault. I was only related to Bellatrix, after all, not her husband. Not to even speak of the fact that I was a half-blood and the son of a werewolf. The more I thought about it, the more I was certain that this plan would not work. I forced myself to take a deep breath as I walked up to a free goblin. The name plate said Flailback.

"I would like to contest the right to check on the Lestrange vault, please." I said. He pointedly did not look up at me, slowly putting away his quill and ink before answering.

"The Lestrange vaults are frozen. The Minister himself could not get in." he said, still not looking at me.

"Could the Malfoys?" I asked. I sounded much braver and bolder than I felt. The goblin paused mid-movement. His eyes drifted upward and held me coldly in their gaze. It took everything I had not to visibly shake, and I wasn't sure I was doing a good job.

"Who are you?" Flailback asked.

"A relative of Bellatrix Lestrange, here to ensure that her vault is in order. I will be taking nothing and leaving nothing. It is within the bank's policy for me to be allowed to do so." I said, evading the question. I preferred not to give them my name, in case Bellatrix found out just who had been inside her vault. Not to mention the insult I was giving the goblins by insisting to double check their work.

"Your hand please?" He said, reaching over his desk. He looked as if he wanted to rip it off of my arm. I hesitantly gave it to him, and he immediately pierced my palm with his long, dull, nail. I managed not to jump, but I couldn't help but gasp at the sudden pain. An unpleasant smile twisted across Flailback's face and he pulled away, wiping my blood on a blank piece of parchment. From where it touched it immediately spread into writing, looking ominous with the spindly script and shining red hue. Flailback scowled as he read over it, obviously hoping to be able to deny me entry.

"Your name?" He asked.

"Theodore Lupin." I grimaced as he wrote my name on the page and then made me sign it.

"You can have two minutes inside the vault." He growled. "Leave anything of value up here, you will no be able to take anything in or out."

Flailback called another goblin, with whom he spoke to briefly in Gobbledegook. Soon I had two goblins scowling at me. I was not making any friends here with my apparent distrust in their ability. The second goblin did not give me a name, and took me down to the Lestrange vault in a tense silence. I felt a pang when I saw the abused dragon, and was sorry that it would not be saved this trip. Perhaps I could convince Hermione to open up a branch of S.P.E.W. for the mistreatment of such creatures. From what I heard of Charlie Weasley, I knew that he would get behind it.

"Two minutes." The goblin warned me as he opened the door and let me in. "Be done or I will lock you down here."

I shuddered and walked inside, careful not to touch anything. The goblin waited outside, so I was free to get to work. I pulled back my sleeve where the basilisk fang was strapped to my arm. The venom had already started to eat away at the enchanted leather holster. I exhaled, glad I had gotten to it before it had reached my skin. I held the tooth by the root, where the venom could not bother me, and made my way to to where I though the cup was, due to Harry's stories in the future.

There it was, on the highest shelf, way above my head. I swore as I realized the only way I could reach it would be to climb the case that it was on, risking making the whole thing topple over. I took a deep breath and quickly began to scale the shelves, which rocked and swayed under my weight. The things I brushed started to multiply. I gritted my teeth as the shelves overflowed with copies of the treasure and threatened to make me loose my grip.

"One minute!" The goblin called. He sounded rather gleeful. He knew what was happening and was happy about it. I bit down a few choice curse words and gripped the fang tighter. I had reached the top now, clinging for dear life as the generating items pushed against me and made me loose my footing. I gave a small cry, and knew I didn't have much time before I was completely swept away. I shakily raised my hand, clinging desperately with the other, and stabbed the cup with all my strength before I fell. I felt cold hands wrap around my throat and squeeze as I was buried under a pile of fake copies of treasure.

Unable to breathe, but desperate to be out of this place, I swam through the horrible sea of items that was threatening to drown me towards the entrance.

"Ten seconds!" The goblin called. "Nine... Eight..."

_No! Oh please, don't leave me here! _I thought frantically. I would be crushed or suffocated from the remains of Voldemort's soul...

"Seven... Six... Five..."

My progress was painfully slow, and tears streaked down my face as cold panic gripped me. I was almost there, I had to make it!

"Four... Three... Two..."

I leapt towards the door, and threw myself into the hallway just before the goblin sealed the vault shut. The feeling of cold fingers around my throat vanished, and I gasped for air. I didn't have the fang anymore, but the cup was gone. Harry could get more teeth from the Chamber if he needed too.

"Well, come on." The goblin sniffed, put out at not being able to lock me in. I shivered and followed him silently back to the cart.

The moment I set foot on the main floor again, Dumbledore swooped down upon me.

"Well? Did you destroy- My dear boy! What happened? You have bruises on your neck! Did they- No, these are much too big to be from goblin hands..."

"It was the cup." I told him. "It wasn't too happy with me. But it is gone."

"Oh good heavens I never thought... but it is gone now, and you are alright. We will get Madame Pomphrey to look you over when we get back to the school."

I nodded, too tired to even want to argue. My adrenaline was lowering and I wanted nothing more than to rest.


	13. New Order

**Don't kill me! I know I haven't written in forever! I'm sorry! I've been horrible! But if you kill me, I won't be able to write anymore!**

** Disclaimer: Not mine yet. **

I was let out of the hospital wing the next day, and had to repeat the story of what happened at Gringrotts five different times before the Golden Trio was satisfied. But life went on, as normal as possible under the circumstances.

Over the next few weeks, Ron received a letter from Percy urging him to quit his friendship with Harry. Harry tried to make light of the situation, but Ron was furious. He tore the letter into little pieces before casting it into the fire, while using some rather colorful obscenities to describe his brother.

To make things worse, Umbridge became the Hogwarts High Inquisitor, and with the title brought terrible new power.

"She is going to be worse than ever, now." I grumbled to my godfather and his friends. Harry and Ron nodded morosely.

"Oh, I can't stand that woman!" Hermione snapped. "We are not learning anything, and we certainly won't be able to pass our O.W.L.S!"

I brightened and said,

"What we need is a _proper_ teacher."

Hermione got what I was hinting at.

"Yes, someone with experience!" She agreed.

"A student, most likely, since they will be the only ones willing to go behind the Old Toad's back..."

"And at least a fifth year, to ensure that they have an appropriate level of knowledge to teach..."

"What are you two on about?" Ron asked.

"We need to find a student willing to teach us so that we can be prepared for the Dark Lord." I explained.

"Yeah, but who could we find to do that?" Harry asked.

"You, Harry!" Hermione said, exasperated.

"Me?" He gaped. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Oh, but Harry think about it! You could teach everyone so much!" Hermione continued to plead. Even Ron was nodding now.

"Yeah, mate, you know loads about the Defense Against the Dark Arts!"

Seeing that he was out numbered, Harry sighed.

"Fine. But only you three."

I shifted in my seat, and Harry noticed. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Teddy? What did you do?"

"I sort of... already hinted at the idea to a few people. You did it last time, I was sure you were going to do it again! I'm sorry, I didn't know you would be so against the idea. But, you see, the thing is, there are more people than just us who need to be trained in case Voldemort comes." I said quietly. I did my best to look innocent as I reasoned with him.

"Who did you tell?"

"Just a few people..."

"A _few_? This is a bloody lot more than just a few!" Harry hissed at me as the Hogshead pub began to fill.

"The idea was popular..." I shrugged with a sheepish look. It had been two weeks since we had first suggested the idea to Harry, and the news had traveled around a bit. More than thirty people had come to the meeting. Not a bad turnout at all.

Once everybody had gotten a drink and sat down, Hermione started nervously.

"Well, you all know why we're here. We need a teacher. A proper teacher. One who's had real experience defending themselves against the Dark Arts."

"Why?" said some kid. I wasn't too sure of his name. Something Smith.

"Why?" Ron asked, incredulous. "Because You-Know-Who's back, you tosspot!"

"So he says." sneered Smith.

"So Dumbledore says!" I snapped at him. Who had invited this kid?

"Look, if you are just here to hear about what happened that night, you can just clear off." Harry snarled. When nobody moved, he continued. "All that you need to know is that Voldemort is back. I saw him. You don't understand what it is like, to be staring death in the face. It isn't like school, where you can try again tomorrow. No. You are out there watching your friends get murdered and fighting for your life. It is real."

There was silence for a moment.

"Which is why we need you to teach us Harry." Hermione said at last. "When V-Voldemort comes, we want to be ready for him."

Harry just nodded, as Hermione had everyone sign their name to a list.

"What shall we be called?" Ron asked. "We need a name. Can't just keep calling this 'the group' or whatnot."

"The D.A." I said at once. "Dumbledore's Army."

Harry looked at me.

"I thought you said that was what the new Order was called in your time." He said softly so that only he and I could hear.

"I did. Where do you think it started?"

Harry blinked, and looked down, rather humbled.

As we walked back to Hogwarts, I explained all about the Room of Requirement to Harry, Hermione, Neville, and the Weasleys.

"Wicked!" The twins said together.

"I think we found it once, remember, Fred? It turned into a broom closet when we were trying to outrun Flich."

"Guys? What if Umbridge finds out about this?" Ron asked. I could hear the worry i his voice.

"Who cares?" Hermione asked. She was glowing with excitement. "It is sort of fun, isn't it? Breaking the rules?"

More than a few heads turned to her, looking stunned.

"Who are you and what have you done with Hermione?" Ron said as he poked her in the side. She waved his hand away, pretending to be annoyed.

"Well, even if it doesn't work out, we know one good thing that came out of today." she said a bit quieter.

"What's that?" Harry asked. She gave him a smug look.

"Cho couldn't keep her eyes off of you, could she?


	14. Faults

** Sorry if my timeline is a little skewed... I don't have my book on me. And um... yeah I had no clue what I was doing in this chapter. Next one will have Christmas in it. I am not opposed to people leaving reviews on what they want to see. **

** Disclaimer: I'm still working on Imperiousing J.K. Rowling to make her give me the rights to Harry Potter. Not going so well...**

"Stupid Malfoy! Stupid Umbridge!" Harry yelled. He, Fred, and George had just been banned from the Gryiffindor Quidditch team for attacking Malfoy. I was having a hard time not laughing whenever I imagined the ferret's face when he saw them about to jump on him. Priceless.

"It's not funny, Teddy." My godfather growled at me. I burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry... It's not, I know it's not, it's just..."

I transformed my face into Malfoy's and made the gaping expression that he had when he saw the Gryiffindors tackling him. It sort of made him look like a frog. My trick helped, the others laughed, even Harry.

"I just can't believe that miserable toad!" He sighed, sitting down as Hermione looked out of the window. She soon gave a loud gasp, making the rest of us jump.

"What is it?" I asked. She pointed down to the stone hut on the ground.

"Smoke! Smoke from the chimney! Hagrid is back!"

This cheered everyone up, as the golden trio had been worried, and I had been wanting to meet the gentle giant for myself. Harry quickly grabbed his invisibility cloak and I waved them to go on without me. The cloak wouldn't cover the four of us, and I could meet him later. But I made them promise to tell me what they found out when they returned.

The next thing I knew I was being poked away by Ron and nearly fell off the couch. Once I was settled again they told me all about Hagrid's mission with the giants, and Umbridge's visit.

"Hagrid better be careful." I sighed.

Despite my best wishes, Harry informed me that Umbridge had ruined everything, twisting around everything Hagrid had said. The good news was that he had not been sacked yet. All we could do was hope for the best. I got to meet him that afternoon, which was nice, since Harry told me a lot about the gentle giant in the future.

"Ne'er thought I'd see the day when Remus had a tyke. He always swore he ne'er would, with his condition an' all." Hagrid told me as he shook my hand. "Dumbledore an' these three also tell me you ha' a bit of a different story then the one you've been tellin. From the future?"

I grinned and nodded sheepishly. He seemed a little disappointed at my lack of fur and fangs, but we got to know each other none the less over tea as I avoided the rock cakes, as per Harry's advice.

Several days later, I found myself with some of the D.A. members sitting around the fire in the Gryffindor common room. We had just had our last D.A. meeting for the year, and I was amusing people by imitating people's faces doing impressions. Snape, Draco, and Umbridge were very popular. But finally, I stopped and the crowd drifted away, just as Harry walked in and sat down. He was very pale and seemed out of it.

"Harry? Are you okay?" I asked. He nodded vacantly.

"What happened?" Ron asked.

"I... I just snogged Cho."

"Cho? Cho Chang?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded as his bushy-haired friend squealed and gave him a hug.

"What was it like?" Ron asked. Harry thought about it for a second.

"Wet." He finally said. After a small silence he explained, "She was crying."

"Are you that bad of a kisser?" Ron sniggered. I rolled my eyes and elbowed him.

"I'm sure Harry's kissing had nothing to do with it." Hermione huffed. "Cho has just been going through a rough time is all."

"You think a bit of snogging would cheer her up."

"Honestly, Ronald, you have the emotional range of a teaspoon!"

I decided to go upstairs before Hermione could get into a rant. I just congratulated my godfather and went on upstairs.

The next morning, all of the Weasley's and Harry had gone. When Hermione and I asked McGonagall about it, she snapped that we would find out soon enough and to not speak about it again, least we draw attention. I wracked my brains, trying to remember if Harry had told me about this in the future. When it came to me I pulled Hermione aside and told her about Harry's vision of Mr. Weasley.

"I should have remembered!" I hissed, sinking my head into my hands. "I could have stopped this from happening..."

"You can't be expected to change everything, Teddy. You are just a kid. No one expects you to remember every detail about a past that you were not even in." Hermione assured me. I felt a little better, but it did not fully relieve my guilt. But thankfully we were soon going home on the Hogwarts express. My father picked us up at Platform 9 & 3/4 and took us straight to Gimmauld Place.

We were ambushed by Ron the moment we stepped through the door.

"Harry won't come out of his room. He thinks its all his fault." He told us. "Thinks he was possessed."

I started to feel even guiltier. Harry was putting the blame on his shoulders when it was really my fault.

"Oh, honestly." Hermione huffed, pulling me upstairs with her and through Harry's door.

"Harry. Get up." she said, pushing him off of his bed.

"Ouch!" he cried.

"It isn't your fault." I said quickly. "You aren't being possessed, I was so stupid and forgot all about Mr. Weasley's accident... I'm so sorry..."

"No, it's okay, Teddy." Harry said, a little confused. "But how do you know I wasn't possessed?"

"Because I'm from the future. I told you when I first got here that you share a link between your minds. I'm so stupid! How could I forget?"

"It is alright Teddy, you can't remember everything..."

"That is what I told him." Hermione agreed.

"We need to get you in occlumency lessons right away." I said. I had suggested that the day after I had arrived here, but once I started going to Hogwarts it completely slipped my mind. "But please remember that whatever you see about Sirius being in the Department of Mysteries is a lie."

"I remember." Harry told me.

The next day we went to go visit Mr. Weasley, and met some other familiar names as well. I got to see the infamous Gilderoy Lockhart and Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom. I shivered when I saw what Bellatrix Lestrange did to the couple, and was happier more than ever that I had escaped that madwoman's clutches. Then I realized that she was going to escape soon. I gave a shiver. She would not be happy with me if she ever found out that I was the one that destroyed the goblet. All it would take was to ask the goblins for a record of who had been in her vault. Hopefully she would be unable to stroll down into Gringrotts. I really was not looking forward to the day when I had to meet her again face to face.


	15. Bad to Worse

**Yeah... I know... Don't kill me...**

**Disclaimer: Nope. **

I was told that our Christmas had been more somber than usual, but I had personally found it much more festive than the Christmas's I had experienced before. Gifts were luxuries that were often unavailable, or else practical, and there was very little in the way of decorations.

But Grimmauld Place was made much more festive than I every guessed it could be. Sirius was ecstatic to have company for Christmas, and sang carols at the top of his voice in the halls. His happiness cheered everyone in the house. Cobwebs had been replaced by streamers and holly; magical snow was everywhere, which gave me adequate cause to pelt everyone who passed me with snowballs. A giant tree stood decorated with live fairies, and the elf heads in the hall wore Father Christmas beards and hats.

The only thing that was ruining my happiness was my anxiety about presents. I had bought everyone gifts, but what if they did not like them? I mean, what were you supposed to buy your parents whom you barely know? The trio's gifts were easier. Assorted candy for Ron, a quill for Hermione, and a book on Quidditch tactics for Harry. I inscribed it with a short message that it would be useful next year when he was captain. I thought the knowledge that he would be able to play again would cheer him up.

Sirius helped me with my parents gift, helping me find some pictures of the Marauders school days, as well as some from my mom's years at Hogwarts. It was a rather cliche present, but what else could I do? I did not have much money, and didn't know them very well. I felt that they would like it anyway.

Christmas morning proved me right. I woke up to the largest pile of presents I had ever had with a gasp. I waited only a second before I dove in.

Hermione had given all of the boys homework planners, and Ron had given me several chocolate bars. Harry

To my very great surprise I also had a Weasley sweater. I happily pulled it over my head before opening the rest.

From mum was a used and very battered copy of _The Metamorphic Talen_t by Quindle Sway. I opened it to the front page and found an inscription of: _This book belongs to__ Nymphadora__ Tonks. _

Below it in my mother's handwriting was,

_I thought that you could make use of this, I know I did! Love, Mum._

My lip trembled and I smiled. It was perfect. I kept it in my lap as I opened dad's gift. It was also an old book, but upon closer inspection I realized that it was his journal from his school days. I smiled again. I could hardly wait to read about what the Marauder's got up to in school! Then I got up to go to breakfast, both of the books under my arms. When I reached the kitchen I was attacked by my mother's hug.

"Ack!" I cried out, startled.

"Oh, I am sorry, Teddy! We just loved the pictures so much!" She said. My father nodded in agreement.

"I'm glad you liked it." I grinned. "I loved your presents too."

They beamed back at me as we took our seats for breakfast. It was a very merry meal, everyone thanking everybody and excitedly talking about new gifts they had received.

I spent the afternoon with my parents until the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione went to go see Arthur. I joined them to apologize in person that I had not remembered his attack, which he brushed off like all of the others.

"You can't change everything by yourself, you know." He assured me.

After Christmas, attitudes changed for the worse. Sirius began to get melancholy and sullen, and got into a fight with Professor Snape when he realized that he was the one Dumbledore appointed to teach Harry Occlumency. Harry wasn't too happy about that either. I was also less than perfect, since I knew the mass breakout would soon occur, and there was nothing I could do about it. The only positive highlight was Mr. Weasley coming home, completely cured.

As the holiday ended, the last of the goodbyes were said, and all of the students in Grimmauld were ushered onto the Knight Bus to take them to King's Cross.

School was dismal. Harry did horribly at Occlumency, and directly afterward felt the worst pain in his scar yet.

"It's happened..." I sighed.

"What has?" Hermione asked.

"A mass breakout of Azkaban."

"But... That's impossible! I know Sirius did it, but he's one bloke! And he was an Animagus!" Ron said.

"Trust me, it is possible." I sighed.

The next morning the Daily Prophet proved me correct. I don't know who seemed to be more upset about Bellatrix escaping, Neville or I.

"Sirius didn't do this!" Harry hissed as he read the paper.

"Yeah well, since when has the Prophet been fair?" Ron asked.

Things just kept getting worse. Hagrid was put on probation, more bloody Educational Decrees from the Umbridge cow, and Harry's difficulty with Occlumency. It was not until February did things take a small turn for the better. Despite Harry's disastrous date with Cho Chang (which Ron and I found hilarious), Harry managed to be successfully and fairly interviewed by Rita Skeeter for the Quibbler.

It was a huge hit. The Quibbler was passed around in waves in the days to come, and nearly everybody read it to learn the truth about what happened. We were finally getting some support from the masses. Even Umbridge's ban on the magazine did not stop the students from reading it. It gave us some power in our corner.

But the worst was yet to come. We were in the Room of Requirement learning Patronus' with the D.A when Umbridge found us. I had just cast a patronus that looked like a blob with legs when Dobby appeared and struggled to tell Harry something he could not.

"Is Umbridge coming?" He asked the elf in horror, having pieced together what he came here for.

"Yes, Harry Potter, yes!"

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!" Harry yelled as he looked around at us. "RUN!"

I did just as he said, bolting for the Gryffindor tower without stopping. It wasn't until we were inside the portrait did I look around and notice not everyone was there.

"Where is Harry?" I asked. Hermione looked around and started to hyperventilate.

"Oh no! Oh no, oh no, oh no!" she gasped. Ron managed to calm her down, and we all waited for him to return. I rung my hands, changing my hair color every five minutes until Hermione snapped that I was giving her a headache.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Teddy, I am just so worried!" she apologized.

"It's alright, Hermione, it will be fine." I told her. Just then the portrait door opened, and we all jumped to our feet.

"Harry! You are alright! What happened?" Ginny asked. Harry looked up at us all miserably.

"Dumbledore." He said. "Dumbledore is gone.


	16. Promises

**Sorry that it has been so long! Don't kill me! I only have about four more chapters after this one.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of this...**

I hardly think I could be more proud of this school if I tried. The news that Dumbledore was gone spread, and everyone was doing their hardest to make Umbridge's first day miserable. Fred and George had let loose their whole stock of Weasley's Wildfire Wiz-Bang fireworks. Umbridge and Filch were on their own against the sparkling, exploding army, and everyone was content to just watch them run themselves ragged. Even the teachers refused to lift a hand to get rid of the nuisances.

I also had the pleasure of being a first hand witness when the twin's portable swamp went off on the fifth floor in the east wing. My robes were doused with foul smelling muck, but it was quite worth it to see the pink toad's face contort with rage. She and her Inquisitorial Squad dragged the two of them off to the entrance hall, and asked Mr. Filch to go fetch some forms. I knew the forms were nothing good, for the shifty caretaker burst into a smile and ran off as fast as he could. Umbridge began her loud tirade at the red-heads, and soon Filch returned, cooing,

"I've got the form headmistress! I've got the form and I've got the whips waiting... Oh, let me do it now..."

I felt myself grow sick. Whips? At that time Harry elbowed his way beside me, and I gave him a worried look. I wasn't sure if he saw it, his eyes were glued onto the scene before him.

"George," Fred was saying, "I think we have outgrown our full time education."

"Yeah, I have been feeling that way myself." George replied.

"Time to test our talents in the real world d'you reckon?"

"Definitely."

Before Umbridge could reply they both waved their wands and shouted,

"ACCIO BROOMS!"

There was a crunch that sounded like wood breaking, and the next thing I knew Harry was pushing me down so we didn't get walloped over the head with the twins' Cleansweeps. With some last few parting words, the twins jumped on their broomsticks and flew away, shouting to the poltergeist,

"Give her hell for us, Peeves!"

And to everyone's astonishment, he saluted them on their way out.

But Peeves was not the only one who took the Weasley twins parting words to heart. A niffler was let loose into Umbridge's office, and dungbombs were dropped everywhere. During one Defense class, everyone took a Skiving Snackbox treat and proclaimed that it was an outbreak of "Umbridge-itis". I took great pleasure in vomiting all over the toad's classroom floor. We all got detention for it, but it did not stop us from doing it again and again until she finally gave up and let us leave. Harry told us one night how he spotted McGonagall assisting Peeves in unscrewing a chandler. Harry also lent me his invisibility cloak so that Dennis and I could sneak out to graffiti the school hallways with semi-permanent paint. It was more a work of art than anything, given Dennis' talent in art. It was a five foot mural of the letters **D.A. **that flashed different colors every few minutes. The outline was decorated all the way around with lightening bolts and snitches, while behind the letters was a beautiful phoenix in flight. Umbridge was livid when she saw this, and spent all day trying to remove the paint from the stone.

By the time the final Quidditch game came around, I was in a wonderful mood, despite not having high hopes for the team. I was sitting with Dennis, Nigel, and Danny when I happened to see Hagrid pulling Harry and Hermione out of the stands. I quickly told my roommates that I would be right back and darted after them. I would tell my friends later that I had been unable to weave through the crowds back to them.

"Wait! Wait for me!" I said, running to catch up with my friends. Hagrid jumped so hard it felt like an earthquake had struck.

"Teddy! Don' do tha'!" He panted.

"Sorry. Where are you going?"

"Well... Yea, I guess yeh can come too." Hagrid said. "But on'y if you're quiet abou' it! Come on, now..."

He led us deep into the forest, much deeper than I ever would have been comfortable with, and off the path besides. Harry, Hermione, and I had to do our best to scramble over the thick briars and vines that Hagrid stepped over with ease just to keep up with him. But finally the large man stopped and turned to face the three of us. With a solemn voice he informed us of the fact that he might be getting the sack any day now. He spoke over our protests, and instead asked us a favor in case he was sent away.

"Of course we will help you." Harry said at once. "What do you want us to do?"

"I knew yeh'd say yes," Hagrid said, patting Harry so hard that he was knocked over into me. "But I won'... never... forget...Well... c'mon... jus' a bit further through here... Watch yourself now, there's nettles..."

"Yes, nettles need to be avoided." I said somewhat sarcastically as I pulled the arm of my robe out of a patch of thorns.

Fifteen minutes later, we reached a clearing edged by pulled down trees. It took me a moment to realize that the mound in the middle was not in fact earth. It was a baby giant.

"Oh Merlin..." I gasped.

"Hagrid... Who is he?" Hermione asked. Harry gave us funny looks, and I saw that he was a bit slow on the uptake. He looked back to the the baby and gasped, finally realizing what he was seeing. Hagrid explained that his name was Gwarp, and was his half-brother. His return had taken much longer since he had to bring him back with him. Hermione was freaking out, having a minor panic attack, and Harry looked a mixture between frightened and awed.

"Hagrid... What exactly do you want us to do?" I asked.

"Jus' look after him. When I'm gone. Yeh don't have to feed him or anythin', he can get his own food, no problem. Birds an' deer an' stuff. No, it's company he needs."

Harry looked very uncomfortable with the fact that he had already agreed to do whatever Hagrid had asked.

"Kinda makes you wish that we had Norbert back, doesn't it?" He whispered to Hermione. She gave a shaky laugh.

"Yeh'll do it then?" Hagrid asked, not hearing what Harry had said.

"We'll... We'll try Hagrid." Harry nodded.

"I knew I could count on yeh, Harry." Hagrid smiled. "Right, well I'll just wake him up... introduce you..."

"Oh, no, Hagrid, no, really don't wake him, we don't need-"

But he had already prodded his younger brother awake. He didn't really seem interested in us until Hagrid hit his knee.

"This is Harry, Gwarp! Harry, and Teddy, and Hermio-" He paused and turned to Hermione. "Mind if he calls yeh Hermy, Hermione? It's a difficult name to remember..."

Hermione nodded wordlessly.

"And Hermy, Gwarp! GRAWP, NO!"

The giant had tried to grab Hermione, who was only saved by Harry quickly pulling her behind a tree.

"BAD BOY! BAD BOY, GWARPY! WE DO NOT GRAB!" Hagrid yelled. But Gwarp had lost interest again and was tearing a nearby tree up by the roots. Everyone thought that it was time to go after that, so Hagrid began leading them back to the school grounds. The trip was more eventful this time around, as they were stopped by several centaurs, that were not all too happy. They did not want us in 'their' forest, nor Gwarp apparently. With the way that they made Hagrid yell I was afraid we would have to witness a centaur vs giant smack-down, but the centaur named Magorian was adamant that they not hurt us 'foals'.

After that Hagrid led us to the grounds where we blended in with the crowd of students returning from the Quidditch pitch.

"So he wants us to go into the forest, _alone_, where there are a bunch of vindictive centaurs, not to speak of other creatures, so that we can babysit his giant half brother?" Hermione asked, hysterical.

"Yep." I agreed.

We were interrupted by a crowd of Gryffindors carrying Ron on their shoulders as he carried the Quidditch Cup.

"We won!" He yelled happily when he saw the three of us. We all smiled in surprise and excitement and watched as they went on inside. I couldn't believe it! We had won! We did it! But as I looked around at the others, all of our smiles faded.

"So..." I said. "Who gets to tell Ron that we didn't see the game?"


	17. In the Forest

**Next chapter! Please review! **

**Disclaimer: I only own Harry Potter in my dreams. **

It was the next day before they were able to tell Ron at all. He was busy soaking in his glory and reliving every moment

"...But ah, you saw what happened." He finished as they sat by the tree under the lake.

"Well Ron..." Hermione began. "You see, the thing is, we didn't."

He looked very hurt at first, but when he realized that Hagrid had insisted that they come, and what he wanted them for, he was just as indignant as Harry and Hermione were. He didn't seem to think that Hagrid was right in asking them all to babysit a giant.

"I think that you are being a little unfair." I frowned. "Sure, it probably wasn't his best idea to ask us to keep watch on him, but he is a baby. Gwarp can't really help that he acts the way he does. All babies like to grab and play..."

Ron didn't look like he believed me.

"Well, hopefully Hagrid won't leave. Then we won't have to worry about it at all."

As the week progressed, the three fifth years grew more and more distracted by their upcoming O.W.L.s. I had learned very quickly to stay far away from Hermione during this time, least she bite your head off. I just let them be and hung out with the guys in my own year.

The night of the Astronomy O.W.L, I was woken up from sleep by hearing bangs and shouts from the grounds below coming in from our open window.

"Wassgoinon?" I asked sleepily.

"Dunno." said Nigel, peering out. "Some sort of fight, I reckon. It's over now, but it looks like they hit McGonagall."

I grew very cold all of the sudden and jumped out of bed, pulling on a robe over my pajamas and rushing downstairs. Several people were up, discussing the event that had aroused them from sleep. When the fifth years returned through the portrait hole, I elbowed my way over to Harry through the questioning crowds.

"Did you see what happened?" Katie Bell asked.

"Yeah." Harry mumbled. "Umbridge attacked Hagrid, and hit Professor McGonagall when she tried to stop them. She doesn't look good."

"What about Hagrid?" I asked.

"Ran off the grounds." he said softly. There was a small pause after his word.

"First Dumbledore, now McGonagall and Hagrid! What are we going to do?" Katie moaned.

The next morning after classed, I quietly slunk down to the Forest, my wand at the ready. The others were taking their history final, and I knew it would be awhile before they were out again. By the time that they were finished and I convinced them to come with me, it would be too dark and too late to visit Gwarp. So I decided to go on my own, and pray that the centaurs were busy elsewhere.

Gwarp was awake this time when I reached his glen, and turned his eyes onto me with interest.

"Hey buddy." I said softly, praying I didn't look like food."

" 'Eddy." he said. I felt a faint bit of shock. He could speak! And what was more, he remembered me!

"Yeah. Yeah, that's right, it's me. Teddy." I told him. "What d'you got there?" I asked, pointing at the uprooted sapling in his hand. Gwarp shook it so that leaves showered everywhere and said a few babbling words that I was not sure was Giant language or baby talk. I was inclined to believe that it was the latter.

"The leaves are very pretty." I agreed.

"Weafs." He said in attempt to imitate me. I smiled again and talked with him for what felt like several hours before he began to get impatient with me.

" 'Eddy where Hagger?" he asked. I took a deep breath and sighed.

"Gwarp, Hagrid has gone away for a little while. D'you remember he told you about that? My friends and I are going to keep you company until he comes back. Okay?"

"NO! WANT HAGGER!" He yelled, getting to his feet as he crossed his arms and stuck out his lip in a pout.

"I'm sure he will be back soon..."

"GWARP WANT HAGGER!" He yelled again, putting strain on the thick ropes that held him. I could hear them already start to snap.

"Gwarp, Gwarp listen to me-" I tried, but one of the ropes broke, the tension causing it to fly back and hit me across the face. I cried out and held onto my cheek. The rope itself had been as thick as my arm, and had been extremely rough. From the pain I could tell that now half of my face was scraped and rope burned. Before I could gather my wits about me again, I felt a large hand wrap around me and pull me into the air.

"Gwarp! Gwarp stop!" I yelled as he ran, pushing aside trees as he did so. Branches and twigs whipped across my already bruised face and I closed my eyes against the pain. Since my hands were firmly pinned to my side by his fist, I had to bury my face into his knuckle to protect myself. I had no clue where we were going, nor did I have any idea how to get back. This had not been one of my better ideas... Nobody even knew were I was!

"Gwarp, please put me down!" I begged. He did not seem to hear, although I did not stop pleading with him. What felt like a half hour later, Gwarp stopped and stood unusually still. I looked up to see him with his head cocked, listening.

"Hermy." He said after a moment. I frowned. Hermione? Why would he want Hermione? But before I could ask or explain that she had not come with me, he turned and delved into the forest on his right.

"Stop!" I said again, and it was five minutes later before he finally headed my commands. We came to a halt upon a herd of centaurs, whose bows immediately pointed our way.

"Teddy?" came a voice. I twisted uncomfortably to see Harry and Hermione surrounded by the horse men as well.

"Harry? What are you doing out here?" I asked, bewildered. He didn't answer and instead spoke to Gwarp.

"Put him down!"

But the giant ignored him just as he had been ignoring me.

"You are not welcome here, giant!" One of the centaurs yelled at him, kicking his legs.

"He doesn't understand." I pleaded. "He's just a baby."

"Hermy!" Gwarp said, seemingly unaware that the centaur had spoke.

"He... oh my..." Hermione said.

"Hermy! Where Hagger?" he asked again, his bottom lip protruding. "Gwarp want Hagger!"

"Harry, I think he is trying to say Hagrid!" Hermione whispered. Harry didn't seem to find this as important getting the giant to let me go.

"Gwarp? Can you please let go of Teddy now?"

Almost in answer, Gwarp reached with his free hand towards Hermione, knocking a snow white centaur off of his feet. This seemed to be what the centaurs where waiting for. With a whinny-like war cry they loosed their bowstrings, letting the arrows fly straight at Gwarp's face.

"No! Stop it!" I yelled as he started to cry. He dropped me and I hit the ground hard, all of the air leaving my lungs. Harry was beside me in an instant, and Hermione was there not to long after. All three of us became drenched with Gwarp's blood as he rubbed his face, breaking off the arrow shafts, but driving their heads in deeper to his skin. He gave a petulant roar and started to chase after the offending centaurs, who ran so quickly it seemed that they vanished.

"Oh no! He could kill them all!" Hermione said as we looked after them, helpless to reign in or control the rampaging toddler.

"I'm not all that fussed, to be honest." Harry said, turning his attention back to my face. "Did Gwarp do this to you?"

I shook my head.

"No. Well, he didn't mean to. The rope hit me when it snapped, and then we ran through the trees and all... What are you two doing here?"

"It's a bit of a long story." Harry sighed. "I had that vision you said I would... The one with Sirius in the Department of Mysteries. I wanted to warn someone from the Order, but I completely forgot about Snape. So we tried to distract Umbridge to use her fire-"

I groaned.

"-but she caught us. Hermione did some quick thinking and bluffed our way out here, telling Umbridge that we had been working on some type of weapon out here for Dumbledore. The centaurs carried her off just before you came."

"Harry!" I said, exasperated. He frowned at me.

"I don't want to hear it coming from someone who thought it would be a good idea to go into the forest _alone_ to go visit a baby giant." He said. I looked down, embarrassed.

"Point taken." I mumbled.

"Come on, we've got to go tell Snape." Harry said, "I couldn't figure out how to let him know when he came into Umbridge's office..."

Then he began pulling us both in what I desperately hoped was the direction to get out of here.


	18. At the Ministry

**Oh! New Chapter! So close to the end!**

**Disclaimer: I wish. But I do not. **

I felt a profound sense of relief when the trees thinned and the castle came into sight.

"Thank Merlin!" I gasped.

"Look!" Hermione said, pointing across the lawn. Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna were making their way toward them.

"How did you escape?" Harry asked as he and Hermione were given their wands back.

"Told them I was hungry, and pulled out some of Fred and George's Skiving Sweets. Course, they told me to bugger off and ate the lot themselves."

"That was really clever, Ron." Hermione said, looking at him a little shocked.

"It's been known to happen."

"Come on, we have to get to Professor Snape." I said, pulling Harry by his robes. The rest followed dutifully behind as we wound our way into the dungeons to just outside Snape's office. I certainly hoped that he was here, for I had no idea where his living quarters might be. I knocked on the door urgently, and for a scary moment I thought no one would answer. But then the door creaked eerily open and I sighed in relief.

As the Professor looked down at us I got the feeling that he was at a loss for words, although he hid it well.

"What in Merlin's name is going on?" He asked.

"May we come inside, Professor?" I asked. I really did not want to speak about this in the hallways.

He looked down the hallways to make sure nobody could see and ushered us all in.

"What have you done to your face, Lupin?" He asked, going directly into his potions cupboard. I could hear him grabbing the glass phials of different potions inside. And why are you, Potter, and Granger covered in blood? Are you all injured?" He came back moments later with an armful of his stock, which he placed on his desk.

"Oh no sir." I said quickly. "It is just my face. The blood is from... somewhere else."

The Professor sat me down in a chair and started to slather a salve on my cheek. I hissed as it stung.

"But really, this is not the reason why we are here."

"Then what is?"

Harry took over, explaining about the vision he had in his HIstory Exam.

"-I knew it was a fake thanks to Teddy, but I felt like I had to tell someone. We tried to use Umbridge's floo to contact the Order, but she caught us. She... She was about to start casting the Cruciatus for answers when Hermione thought up some story, about a weapon and whatnot. We lost her in the Forbidden Forest, where we found Teddy, and then we came right back here."

Professor Snape closed his eyes for the merest second in frustration.

"We will discuss your behavior later. As well as Mr. Lupin's injury and presence in the Forbidden Forest. For now, stay here."

And with that he swept from the room, leaving the students to stare at each other in silence. Not one word was spoken until he returned.

"You all shall go back to your dorms." He said. "The Order is handling things now."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"I mean, Mr. Potter, that due to the intel provided by Mr. Lupin here, the last time this occurred, the Dark Lord himself arrived. So we have sent everyone in attempt to draw him out again."

"What do you mean, 'the last time this occurred'?" Neville frowned.

"He means in Teddy's world." Luna said.

I looked at her in surprise.

"What?" Neville asked.

"Teddy is from the future." Luna said simply.

"How did you-" I began, but Hermione cut me off.

"No time for that now. Sir, are you planning on killing the snake?"

"If the creature is present, Miss Granger."

"So then shouldn't I be coming?" Harry asked. "If the snake is dead, then the last horcrux will be destroyed, and I can kill him."

"Don't be so naive, Potter. Just because you are famous does not make you any more than a mortal boy. Do you really think you can take on the Dark Lord? You have much to learn before you would be ready for that responsibility. I do not put much faith in store the prophecy anyway. I am of the opinion that Dumbledore will be the one to rid the world of the Dark Lord. As for now, you shall go back to your dorms."

"But-" Harry began.

"_Now_." Professor Snape hissed before disappearing down the hall. We only remained silent until they were out of sight.

"We aren't really staying here, are we?" Ron asked.

"No." Harry said. "I have to go. If they kill the snake then we can finally be rid of Voldemort forever... Teddy, how did I get to the Ministry last time?"

"You all flew theastrals." I said. "But there is no need for that now. Umbridge's office should be unguarded, so we can just floo there."

"Great. Then that is what I will do." Harry said.

"What _we_ will do." Ron corrected.

"No. You have to stay here. I won't have you guys put in danger."

"Of course we are going." Luna said. "We are all apart of the D.A. Even if we are less inexperienced than the Order, fighting You-Know-Who will be very difficult. I would want all the help I could get."

"And I won't stand by while I could loose my family again." I said softly.

"It isn't about us anyway." Neville said. Harry lloked undecided for a minute.

"Alright. You can come." He sighed. "But Teddy... Teddy, I want you to stay here..."

"No!" I cried.

"Teddy, you are thirteen. I can't let you follow me into a battleground. I love you, you are like my little brother. I_ cannot_ lose you."

I found myself unable to speak with his heart spoken confession, and before I could regain my voice again Harry had started into a run towards Umbridge's office with the others following him.

I couldn't make my legs move to follow them. Only when they were out of sight did I come to my senses. I may have been thirteen, but I had participated in more fights than I cared to count in my old world. I could help.

I started running, but not in the same direction as they went. Instead, I ran all the way up to the headmaster's office. It had been sealed shut since Dumbledore left, but I had to find a way inside.

"Please..." I gasped at the stone gryphon guarding the door. "Please, I need to get inside..."

It didn't move.

"I have to help Dumbledore! I have to help Harry! I need something that is in the office, please! Please, we can't win without it!"

To my surprise the statue moved aside at my words and revealed a spiraling staircase beyond.

"Thank you! Thank you!" I yelled as I ran up the steps and into the office. Glittering in the case behind the headmaster's desk was the gleaming sword of Godric Gryffindor. Praying that the case was not warded, I crossed over to it and threw up the door. Nothing terrible happened to me, so I supposed that I was good so far. I took a breath and clasped both hands around it's handle. To my surprise, it was warm and hummed as if it was alive. I pulled it out of its place with a heave, only to jump out of my skin when I heard a soft trill. I turned around, sword held in a fighting stance, only to see that it was Fawkes blinking at me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. He just blinked again at me and turned around, as if offering me to take hold of his tail feathers.

"Can you take me to the Ministry?" I asked, grabbing the soft plumage. Fawkes trilled again in answer, and in a flash of fire we were gone. My feet hit the floor again and I realized I was in a large, black polished foyer that at the moment was being used as a battleground. From what Harry had told me in the future about this night, most of the fighting had occurred in the Department of Mysteries. Only the duel between Voldemort and Dumbledore had taken place on the Ministries doorstep. Things were already changing. I pulled my wand out with my left hand and adjusted the sword in my right as I surveyed the chaos. Order members and Death Eaters were dueling to the death everywhere, cursing and dodging spells with a desperate frenzy.

Not five feet in front of me sat the curling and writhing snake Nagini, hiding in the shadows. Her mouth was open, and venom dripped down her fangs as if anxious to bite someone as she watched both Harry and Dumbledore fight the Dark Lord. I stuffed my wand back into my pocket to get a better grip on the sword, but the very next second it was knocked from my grasp.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" a feral voice asked, hands wrapping around my upper arms so I could not move. I knew without having to see his face that the voice belonged to Fenrir Greyback.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. He wasn't supposed to be here! The Dark Lord was not supposed to have recruited him yet! Nagini was alerted by the sound of the sword hitting the floor, and had now turned to watch.

"Your fear smells intoxicating..." He laughed. "And what else is that? A half wolf? How interesting... I wonder what would happen if you were bitten. I'm sure the Dark Lord will let me keep you..."

"Let me go!" I shouted. He laughed again as I struggled, lowering his head so that he could breathe on my neck.

"Go on and fight. Just turns me on."

He pulled me closer to him so I could feel his excitement. Disgusted and panicking, I did the only thing I could think of. I twisted my head so that I could see him and without hesitation sunk my teeth into his cheek until I tasted blood. He howled and dropped me. I scrambled and grabbed ahold of the sword again, not even bothering to look back in his direction. I pulled the blade up over my head and ran towards Nagini. When she saw that she was my target she struck out at me in defense, but I brought the sword down before she reached me, severing her head from her body.


	19. The End

**This is it. Last chapter. Thanks you guys for sticking with me! I hope you like the end!**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, you know. **

"Harry!" I yelled. He turned to see the snake dead at my feet before returning to Voldemort just as the Dark Lord hit Dumbledore with a curse. The old man flew back and hit the wall, crumbling to the floor.

Fenrir's hands grabbed me again and this time pressed me up against a pillar.

"You will pay for that, you little shit." He growled. "I was going to take it easy with you... Let you enjoy some of it too. But now all you are going to feel is pain when I take you. Dumbledore is down. How long do you think little Potter is going to last-"

Before his words even finished escaping from his lips, I saw my godfather get hit by an electric green curse and fall to the ground.

"Well. I guess that answers my question." Fenrir smiled.

"No! Harry, no!" I shouted, fighting against the large werewolf holding me. "No!"

It was happening all over again. I didn't change _anything_! Harry still died, the Dark Lord still won! Only now it was worse, because Harry died so young, I was going to be left as a werewolf's bed toy, and there was no hope for anyone now... The last time Harry kept fighting for years after he had lost. Now he was just gone.

Nobody was fighting anymore. The Death Eaters were rejoicing and all of the Order was stunned. I saw my father holding back a sobbing Sirius as he tried to run to his godson.

I was brought back to my predicament by Greyback hitching me higher against the pillar so there were several inches between my feet and the floor.

"We are going to have a lot of fun, you and me." he chuckled. "I like 'um young. And innocent. They scream so much better."

"You are sick!" I spat.

"Ah, ah, ah..." he said, dragging a rough nail that looked more like a claw down my already shredded cheek. "You don't speak unless spoken to, pet."

"I am not your pet!"

His nail dug more into my skin. I clenched my teeth together to keep from making any noise of pain. Tears streaked down my face but they were not shed for myself. They were shed for everybody. I knew what would happen next. I had seen it with my own eyes. I knew what the world would become.

"Aww, don't cry little puppy." He crooned. "You are going to do a good job trying to please your Alpha, yes? I will be so much better to you if you cooperate..."

The Dark Lord was making a speech in the back ground. I wasn't really listening and didn't want to. I didn't want to hear about his victory. Fenrir took my silence as a sign of submission.

"Good puppy..." He ran his disgusting hand through my hair before trailing it all the way down my back and squeezing my butt. I tensed and began fidgeting again.

"No, no, don't-"

A scream cut him off. We both turned to look. Harry was standing, wand aloft and pointing at Voldemort, very much alive.

"Harry...?" I gasped quietly. Ministry members were also arriving, looking at the scene before them in shock and disbelief before joining the fray to attempt to round up the Death Eaters, who now were quickly disapperating.

"Stand and fight, you cowards!" Bellatrix Lestrange shouted. Fenrir growled and I found my arms pinned to my side again and a large hand over my mouth as he dragged me off into the shadows, trying to slink away. I tried to scream and kick and squirm, but it was like fighting against a mountain.

Something was happening with Voldemort and Harry, much like the Priori Incantatem Harry described occurred in his fourth year. Harry was pushing the ball of light along the thread that connected their wands, and just as the ball hit Voldemort's wand, there was a loud bang and explosion of light. When it dimmed and my eyes adjusted again I saw Voldemort lying on the floor. Fenrir, who had been momentarily stunned as I had, started pulling me away again.

"Mmmmph!" I shouted against his hand, kicking him in the shin with no effect at all. If he got me to an apparation point, I doubt anyone would ever find me again... I began to panic as we drew nearer. He couldn't! He couldn't! This couldn't be happening!

"Stupefy!"

Fenrir was hit in the back, and went rigid for once second before his creature blood threw the curse off. He started running, pulling me with him.

"Mmph!" I yelled again.

"Tarantellegra!"

The jinx was simple, but it made Fenrir stumble, and loosen his grip, which was all I needed. I pulled myself from his grasp and ran straight into my rescuer: my mother.

"Impedimenta! Stupefy! Patrificus Totalus!" She shouted again and again until he could no longer move.

"Don't you dare ever touch my son again!" She snarled, sounding twice as ferocious as any werewolf.

"Thanks mum..." I said, hugging her and burying my face in her cloak, trying not to let her notice how frightened I really was.

"Of course." She said, kissing the top of my head. "Come on."

She led me back to dad, who hugged me fiercely.

"Don't ever do anything so dangerous again." He chided.

"Oy, you."

I turned to see Harry with Sirius' arm around his shoulders. Sirius didn't look as if he was ever going to let go.

"I thought I told you to stay at Hogwarts." He said with a tired grin.

"Sorry about that. But I had to at least bring you the sword, but you were busy. So I took matters into my own hands." I smiled back.

"I'm just glad you are okay." He said, trying to hug me. 'Trying' being the operative word, since my parents wouldn't let go of me, and Sirius wouldn't let go of him.

"How is Dumbledore?" I asked.

"He took quite a hit, but the mediwitch over there said he would be alright." Sirius said.

Dumbledore was sitting up by now, looking as pleasant and grandfatherly as ever while Cornelius Fudge spluttered and gibbered at him. I laughed at the funny picture.

"You will be free now." Harry said as he smiled softly up at his godfather. "Fudge won't dare oppose mine and Dumbledore's words now that he has made such a fool of himself."

Sirius gave a small smile in return.

"Who... who did we loose?" I asked, looking at my parents. They took deep breaths.

"Mad-Eye, Shacklebolt, Arthur Weasley... More whom I don't think you have met."

"Mr. Weasley?" Harry croaked. I looked over towards the group of red-heads clearly visible across the foyer. They all were crying, and Hermione was holding Ron in her arms as he sobbed. I felt my tears come again.

"They are starting to move people out." Mum said. "They will be coming soon to speak with you, Harry."

Harry grew pale at the thought.

"Can't we all go to Grimmauld?" I pleaded. "They won't be able to find us there, and we can talk to them later..."

"That sounds like a great idea." Sirius agreed. "Let's go home."

Epilogue

Things began to calm down as time went on. Or at least calmed down as much as it could. Harry dutifully gave his interviews, and then asked to be left in peace. For the most part, the Wizarding World respected his wish. My parents got married that summer with a small ceremony, and almost a year after that gave birth to my little sister, Andy, who was named after my grandmother.

We went back to school of corse, and I graduated two years after the Golden Trio. That was also the year my little brother Charles was born.

It became a long standing joke in my family that it was a good thing I never desired to become a member of the Department of Magical Transportation, due to my incredible mixup with the port-key all those years ago. But I cannot help but think that my mistake was the best thing I had done in my entire life.


End file.
